Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2014

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service, and the VA audiological evaluations did not support a link to service. The Veteran's current diagnoses are attributed to post-service occupational noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 17, 2009, for the resumption of payment of disability compensation following a period of active duty is denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of a formal or informal claim to reinstate his benefits prior to 2010 and thus the preponderance of the evidence is against the Veteran's claim.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are caused by noise exposure during active military service. Therefore, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have hearing loss or tinnitus that is related to his military service. The VA examiner found no link between current hearing loss and active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current tinnitus had its onset during his period of service and is related to in-service acoustic trauma, thus granting service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional examinations to assess the functional impairment caused by his service-connected disabilities and for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if tinnitus pre-existed service or was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus and a right toe disorder was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus began in and continued since service, granting his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address his claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and obstructive sleep apnea. The VA will obtain relevant medical records and provide an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, homonymous hemianopsia, tinnitus, and a psychiatric disorder were denied as there was no evidence of a nexus to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including residuals of CABG, diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, and diabetic nephropathy, are sufficient to preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. As a result, TDIU is granted.

The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for the Veteran's low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, or tinnitus. The claims were denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition. The right and left knee disabilities are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are found to be related to his active service, with the Board finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions began during or were aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for cataracts, macular degeneration, presbyopia, and dermatochalasis was withdrawn. The claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not show an exceptional pattern of hearing impairment or other factors warranting a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected, but his bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a disability rating.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as obtain a copy of the Sacramento Bee article discussed at the August 2013 DRO hearing. Additionally, the VA must attempt to obtain the Veteran's complete Social Security Administration (SSA) record.