Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA audiological examination to determine if his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his exposure to acoustic trauma in service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. For the right elbow disability, the Board finds that there is no evidence of a current disability or any link between the current disability and service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining National Guard service records and providing a VA examination to determine the etiology of his nasal fracture and related conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for an examination to assess the impact of service-connected disabilities on employment. The claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease is not before the Board at this time.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including consideration of his TDIU claim based solely on his service-connected TBI.

The Veteran's tinnitus disability is considered to have started during his military service and continues to this day, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right shoulder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus disabilities to the RO via the AMC for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, hearing loss, CAD, tinnitus, malaria, scar from shrapnel wound, and tinea pedis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to his active duty service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and contacting the Social Security Administration.

The Veteran's current sleep apnea was at least as likely as not incurred during his active service. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether or not the Veteran incurred hearing loss and tinnitus during his active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current tinnitus did not manifest during service and is not related to his military service, including noise exposure. The claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have tinnitus that is attributable to active military service and finds no evidence linking it to any service-connected disability or treatment therefor.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are as likely as not due to noise exposure during his period of active service, resolving all doubts in favor of the Veteran. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted, as the evidence supports a finding that his current disability is related to in-service noise exposure. The hearing loss and psychiatric claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have started during his military service and granted as a result.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for a new examination. The issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are sufficient to meet the criteria for a TDIU rating, as his combined disability rating is at least 90 percent and he has been found unable to secure or follow any form of substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to decide the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a left knee disability.