Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine disorders, as well as his tinnitus, are at least as likely as not related to his active service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding new and material evidence. The claims are now pending on their merits.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death due to metastatic pancreatic cancer, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated by service and did not result from a service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's previously denied claim for service connection for tinnitus, resulting in a denial of this request.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's recurrent tinnitus is a direct result of his active duty service in Afghanistan, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing the Veteran with a new examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities. The claim will also be referred to the Director of Compensation and Pension Services for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus did not have onset during active service, were not caused by an event, disease, or injury during active service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected as they were caused by noise exposure during his military service.

The Board found no evidence of a current hearing loss disability or tinnitus, and the VA examiner concluded that any current tinnitus is not related to service. The Veteran's claims for service connection were therefore denied.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for increased ratings and service connection claims. The gunshot wound residuals of the right shoulder with involvement of Muscle Group III are currently rated at 30 percent, while the other conditions have been addressed.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, including considering a VA examination and medical opinion. The case will be returned for further review.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, and service connection claims for a right shoulder disability, a lumbar spine disability, a cervical spine disability, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his current conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active naval service, including exposure to gunfire and acoustic trauma from working as a radio operator. As such, the claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his service, as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and noise exposure in service. The Veteran's current hearing loss was noted on separation examination but did not manifest until after service, and his tinnitus began during service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical evidence and to arrange for the Veteran to undergo VA examination. The claims will be considered on the basis of the existing record.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, including noise exposure. The evidence does not show a chronic condition during or within one year after service.

The Board has determined that the duty to assist the Veteran has not been fully met with regard to his tinnitus claim, and a new VA examination is required.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus is being remanded due to the need for further development regarding the history provided by the Veteran and the accuracy of the VA examiner's version of events.