Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2014

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to March 15, 2011 did not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, asbestosis, and tinnitus) render him unable to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment, warranting a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete records and potential issues with the line of duty determination related to his injuries. The Board will seek additional evidence and determine if service connection can be granted for his hearing loss, tinnitus, and skull fracture.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, thus granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for tinnitus, right knee arthritis, and left knee arthritis have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals during a hearing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, including noise exposure during active duty.

The Veteran's claims for reopening of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a rescheduled hearing. The issues of service connection for various conditions remain under review.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of records.

The Board found no evidence of in-service hearing loss or tinnitus, and the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his service. The Veteran's hearing loss is attributed to post-service occupational noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional VA treatment records and for the Veteran to submit any additional evidence or identify any outstanding private treatment records.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing an addendum opinion from the VA examiner regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran is granted service connection for tinnitus and a right shoulder disorder with post-operative surgical scars.,Secondary service connection for left knee and right ankle disorders are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his in-service noise exposure, resolving all reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are not related to his military service, as evidenced by normal hearing at entrance and no complaints or treatment for these conditions during active duty. The VA examiner concluded that it was less likely than not that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were caused by noise exposure in Vietnam.

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

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied because there is no evidence that the condition began during active service or is otherwise related to military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus manifested in service and is related to his military service, granting service connection for this condition. The issue of bilateral hearing loss remains pending as it was not addressed by the March 2007 rating decision.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus were denied, while right ear hearing loss was granted. The Veteran's PTSD claim resulted in a grant of initial ratings.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss is established, with an effective date prior to September 27, 2005.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a relationship to military service.,VA has provided the Veteran with adequate notice regarding his rights and responsibilities in this matter.