Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2014

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus) are of sufficient severity to preclude him from obtaining or retaining gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Veteran does not have current ear infections or tinnitus that are service-connected. The Board found no evidence of chronic ear infections during service and the claim for tinnitus was denied as there is no medical opinion linking it to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be at least in part due to service exposure, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus and granted it, finding that there is sufficient evidence to establish in-service onset of the condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connection is established based on direct evidence of in-service noise exposure resulting in current disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for tinnitus and a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss disability have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability is service-connected, while his left ear hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are also service-connected.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability as secondary to his service-connected left ankle disability has been granted.,His hepatitis C disability is rated at 20% since December 11, 2012.

The Veteran was granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, both found to be related to in-service noise exposure. Service connection was also established for bilateral in-grown toe nails of the great toe.,Service connection for a bilateral lower extremity disability is not supported by evidence as it cannot be determined if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and colon cancer was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, including exposure to loud noise from artillery fire. As a result, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Veteran is found to be in need of regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected psychiatric and right knee disabilities, which prevent him from performing activities of daily living without assistance.

The Veteran's claim for educational assistance benefits higher than 60 percent under the post-9/11 GI Bill was denied because her active duty service did not meet the criteria for a discharge due to a service-connected disability, and she had only served less than 36 months of qualifying active duty.

The case is being remanded to obtain a VA medical addendum opinion due to the inadequacy of the September 2010 VA medical opinion. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not caused by or a result of military noise exposure, but there may be other factors contributing to their development.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical examination and the Veteran's request for a new hearing.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of his claims.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed due to the need for an opinion regarding whether hearing loss and tinnitus had their onset during service.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to fully and fairly consider the Veteran's claims, including VA treatment records from Beaumont, Texas VA Outpatient Clinic and a new VA examination for his bilateral foot condition.