Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are not related to his service, including exposure to acoustic trauma. As a result, the claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate opinions regarding his left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbar spine disorder, left knee disorder, and sleep apnea. The case is being returned for further development.

The Veteran's Meniere's disease is found to be aggravated by his service-connected TBI. His hearing loss and tinnitus are currently rated at the minimum (10%) level.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his active military service due to noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral upper and lower peripheral neuropathy, cervical strain, and lumbosacral strain with arthropathy, necessitate the need for an automobile to accommodate his mobility limitations.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection, and the initial ratings for left shoulder tendonitis and lumbosacral strain are addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports. The VA will need to obtain a new VA examination and opinion that takes into account the pre-service hearing loss.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new evidence supports reopening of his original claim and both conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, and a low back disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence. The RO must obtain records of post-service audiometry testing and any relevant private treatment or evaluation records from the chiropractic source that the Veteran testified had been his sole source of treatment since the 1980s.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and right foot fibroma prior to August 16, 2010 have been granted. The Veteran is also entitled to a compensable rating for his right foot fibroma prior to that date.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least as likely as not related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current complaint of tinnitus is related to his in-service exposure to high levels of noise. The claim for residuals of electrocution (back/spine injury) was not addressed as it was withdrawn by the Veteran prior to a decision being made.,The Board granted service connection for residuals of electrocution, finding that the Veteran's current back/spine issues are related to his in-service electric shock incident.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, specifically his exposure as a field artillery specialist without proper hearing protection. As such, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating for this condition. The appeal regarding initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent for PTSD was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to address his claims of service connection for tinnitus and a bilateral foot disorder. The Board will consider these findings in their subsequent decision.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for left ankle and lumbar spine conditions have been withdrawn. The remaining claims of entitlement to service connection for recurrent tinnitus and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss are being remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service. The Veteran's statements and an opinion from audiologist D.N. support this determination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current respiratory and tinnitus disabilities are not related to his active service, as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during service or within one year post-service. The VA examiners have provided opinions indicating these conditions are unrelated to military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are not shown to be of such a nature or severity to prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment prior to April 29, 2011.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus as secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The evidence supports a finding that the Veteran's tinnitus is at least as likely as not permanently aggravated by his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.