Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2015

The Board found no evidence of a hearing loss disability in service or for many decades thereafter, and the most probative evidence fails to link the current disorder to service. Similarly, there was no evidence linking tinnitus to service.

The Board has vacated the August 2011 rating decision and remanded the case for development.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD and found new and material evidence. The appeal is granted in this regard.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are related to service, with tinnitus being granted as a result of in-service noise exposure. Bilateral hearing loss is not shown to be related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any tinnitus disorder. The Veteran's tinnitus is being considered on a direct basis as service connection.

The Veteran's claim of eligibility for an annual clothing allowance is denied as he does not use any prosthetic, orthopedic appliance, or medication for a service-connected disability that wears out or tears his clothing.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, arrange for a VA examination, and address the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bladder cancer.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for left arm tremors and service connection for melanoma, to include as secondary to herbicide exposure at the December 2014 Board hearing.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The VA audiological examinations are inadequate, and a remand is required to obtain an adequate clarification of the medical opinion with a rationale addressing the pertinent audiometric data.

The Board found no evidence of a current right ear hearing disability for VA purposes and the Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service. As such, the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected PTSD and an internal medicine specialist opinion regarding whether his combined disability picture prevents him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for Parkinson's disease and reopened the claim for OSA secondary to PTSD. The Veteran was exposed to burn pits in Balad, Iraq during his military service.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination to assess her ability to work given her service-connected PTSD and other disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, including noise exposure during active duty. Therefore, both conditions have been granted service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU, citing a December 2010 VA examination report. The Court found it unclear whether the Board considered the functional effects of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities without taking into account his age and nonservice-connected disabilities. The case is REMANDED to request an addendum opinion from the VA examiner.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and diffuse muscle and joint pain, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his military service. The claim for PTSD is reopened due to new evidence submitted since the last denial. Service connection for cold weather injury to the hands, fingers, legs, toes and feet is denied as there is no current diagnosis of such condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are as likely as not related to his military service, including exposure to noise. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been reopened, but the Board is remanding the case to allow for a decision on the merits. The claims for increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy are also being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and COPD due to asbestosis, finding no evidence of a nexus between the conditions and service. The Veteran's exposure to noise during service was conceded.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or current disabilities meeting VA compensation criteria. The claims for service connection are therefore denied.