Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2014

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or any current disability within one year of discharge. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus were less likely due to acoustic trauma incurred during military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and consideration of his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his active service, with the VA examiner initially finding a less likely than not relationship. However, a private audiologist concluded that the current conditions are as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, with the right ear hearing loss being granted based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and left ear hearing loss are related to service.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus and left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred or aggravated in service, and the Board finds that there is no competent evidence linking noise exposure to his current condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability. The case will then be submitted to the Director, Compensation and Pension Service for extraschedular consideration under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b).

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that the evidence supports a link between these conditions and service. The Veteran's statements regarding in-service noise exposure are credible, and his symptoms of tinnitus were present within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for tinnitus has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are etiologically related to in-service acoustic trauma, and thus service connection is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus is less likely than not due to in-service noise exposure or any other event during his period of service from September 1981 to September 1985, and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU rating and that referral to the Director of Compensation and Pension Service for extraschedular consideration is not warranted.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss were not shown to be related to service, and the Board denied these claims. The Veteran was granted service connection for a back disorder due to an injury during service.,The Veteran had complaints of decreased hearing but no current disability as defined by VA regulations.

The Board has determined that additional examinations and medical opinions are needed to clarify the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed tinnitus, back disability, cervical spine/neck disability, and bilateral foot disability. The appeal is REMANDED for these actions.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for tinnitus, PTSD, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, and TBI have been granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his service personnel records and VA treatment records. He must also be afforded a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical spine, and right shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including obesity, hypertension, chest pain, foot fungus, eye disability, and tinnitus. The Veteran will also be provided a statement of the case regarding an increased rating for gout.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition. However, there is no evidence linking the current tinnitus to his time in service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.