Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case due to missing VA treatment records and requests for authorization of private medical records. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered after these records are obtained.

The Board finds that the Veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his period of active service, specifically to his in-service noise exposure during combat operations. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have been present since service and linked to exposure to loud noises in Vietnam, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a skin disorder of the arms, hands, and face due to potential service connection issues. The Veteran is requested to undergo VA examinations to determine if his current conditions are related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, a skin disability including chloracne and acne vulgaris, and a low back disability. The evidence did not establish that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus are related to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus. Therefore, these conditions have been granted as secondary to service-connected disability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to have originated during his active service, with the Board finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding their etiology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to noise exposure during his active duty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not have onset during active service, were not caused by an event, injury, or disease in active service, and did not manifest within one year of separation from active service. Therefore, the claims for service connection are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to consider the etiology of his hearing loss, tinnitus, and psychiatric disability claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions and additional development is needed before a final decision can be made.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are service-connected, as they are at least as likely as not related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received to reopen these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between current conditions and in-service noise exposure. Service connection was also denied for a lumbar spine disorder, as there is no evidence of a chronic disability during service or within one year post-service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the maximum schedular evaluation of 10 percent was assigned for tinnitus and there is no provision for separate evaluations for bilateral tinnitus.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as the current opinions are inadequate.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU for accrued benefits purposes.

The Veteran's inpatient hospitalization at Orange Park Medical Center was not authorized by VA, and the services provided were rendered due to a medical emergency. However, the condition did not stabilize until after discharge from the facility.