Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2014

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded for further examination to determine if they are secondary to his service-connected traumatic encephalopathy. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be incurred in service, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is currently pending and requires additional development due to incomplete records, inadequate medical opinions, and the need for a VA examination.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hearing loss in his left ear and tinnitus are related to his military service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal on all pending claims before the Board.

The Veteran's tinnitus is the result of noise exposure during active service, and the Board grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected cervical spine disability and its impact on his ability to work. The TDIU claim will be adjudicated as part of this process.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have started during his military service and thus service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and obstructive sleep apnea are more likely than not related to service, granting service connection for both conditions.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD, and there is no evidence linking his current hearing loss to service. The claim for tinnitus was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not have a direct relationship to his military service, as there is no evidence of worsening during service or a clear etiology for these conditions. The Veteran's pre-existing hearing loss was found not to be aggravated by service, and his tinnitus did not manifest during active duty.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, and finds that new and material evidence has been submitted. The Board grants both claims as the medical evidence is in equipoise regarding whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in relative balance as to whether these conditions are etiologically related to active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no credible evidence of such in-service. The VA examinations provided opinions indicating these conditions are more likely related to post-service factors.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for an additional VA examination regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, as the previous opinion was inadequate. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as she failed to report to VA examinations and her claimed conditions are not shown to be related to her military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not etiologically related to his active service, as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a nexus between his current conditions and military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records. The claim will be reconsidered after this additional development.