Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2014

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be service-connected, and the claim for a higher rating of his left ankle strain is remanded for further development. The remaining claims are dismissed as withdrawn.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing VA outpatient records and the need for further examination. The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a new VA examination for his PTSD and to consider the TDIU claim. The case will be readjudicated after all development has been completed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus did not have its onset during service and is not casually related to active service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine if his service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of a current disability at separation or within one year after separation. The VA examinations did not establish a link between in-service noise exposure and present hearing loss.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have manifested during active duty service and is granted as service connected.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions regarding his hearing loss, tinnitus, PTSD, prostate problems, and hypertension. The issues of service connection are inextricably intertwined with the hearing loss claim.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU for the period from November 3, 2007 to August 10, 2009 due to service-connected disabilities. The Board found that his diabetes mellitus and related neuropathy, along with his low back disability, made him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, effective May 4, 2008.

The Board has found that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active duty service and granted service connection for this condition. The claim of a thyroid disorder was not addressed as it did not meet the criteria for reopening.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, including exposure to significant acoustic trauma while serving as a tank driver. As such, both conditions have been granted service connection.

The Veteran's death was caused by CAD, which is presumed to be due to herbicide exposure in service. The Veteran did not have any of the claimed conditions at the time of his death and there is no evidence linking them to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a cold injury to the feet, eczema, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and flat feet were denied. The claim for an increased rating for athlete's foot was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a social and industrial survey to determine if his service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to the lack of a statement of the case (SOC) addressing these issues. The Veteran must be provided with an SOC so that he can file a substantive appeal if he wishes to continue his appeal.

The Board found that the Veteran's eosinophilia, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the functional impact of her service-connected disabilities on her employability.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service noise exposure. Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The issues include service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.