Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2014

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his right knee, left ankle, and little finger PIP joint are pending. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus claims have been denied.,No service connection is granted for the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has denied an increased rating. The Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied as his service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including burn scars, hearing loss, tinnitus, headache disorder, lung disorder, and a right heel injury, have all been denied. The evidence does not support the Veteran's assertions that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, collectively rated at 90 percent, do not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations and the retrieval of outstanding treatment records.

The Veteran's COPD is granted as secondary to service-connected PTSD. The appeals for headaches, hearing loss, tinnitus, a right leg disability, and a chronic back disability are dismissed.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be due to his period of active military service, and the Board grants entitlement to service connection for this condition. The issue of bilateral hearing loss remains pending as VA treatment records are incomplete.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his in-service exposure to noise, and thus service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is credible evidence linking these conditions to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his in-service acoustic trauma and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus disability is found to be related to service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining audiometry results from his VA treatment records and providing a clarifying medical opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's tinnitus is related to active service. The issue of bilateral hearing loss remains pending and will be remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not present during service or for many years thereafter, and are not otherwise etiologically related to service. Therefore, the claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to conflicting medical opinions regarding his hypertension, and issues with obtaining private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to inadequate examination and lack of discussion regarding noise exposure in service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and increased ratings for tinnitus and PTSD have been withdrawn. The remaining issues of TDIU are addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, as there was no evidence of a nexus between his noise exposure during service and his current conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for right carpal tunnel syndrome and tinnitus, with a noncompensable rating assigned.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be due to his period of active military service.,Service connection for a lumbar spine disability, including as secondary to the service-connected bilateral knee and ankle disabilities, is denied. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not establish a link between the current condition and the service-connected conditions.