Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2015

The Veteran's combined disability rating prior to March 18, 2014 was 70 percent. As of March 18, 2014, his combined disability rating is 80 percent with a single disability rated at 60 percent. The Board finds that the Veteran meets the schedular criteria for consideration for TDIU and grants entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the Director of Compensation Service for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU rating due to service-connected disabilities. The case will be returned to the Board if a decision on this issue is not made.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a right leg condition due to his active duty service. The preponderance of evidence reflects that the Veteran's current right leg condition is less likely than not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus to the VA Director of Compensation and Pension Service for consideration of extraschedular ratings.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete VA treatment records and the need for new examinations. Service connection may be granted if a disability existed at the time of filing or during service, even if it resolves prior to adjudication.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be incurred in service and granted. The issue of an increased evaluation for lumbar strain is addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence of exposure to herbicides or other conditions that would warrant presumptive service connection. The disabilities are not presumed due to military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as the evidence did not establish a link between his conditions and active duty. The reopening of claims was also denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for bilateral tinnitus is denied as he already has the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent. The derivative claim of entitlement to TDIU is remanded due to the need for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The Board found that the evidence was at least in equipoise as to whether the condition was incurred in service, and thus service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are related to his military service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus was previously denied in May 1982, but has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is attributable to his active duty service.,The Veteran incurred a right inguinal hernia during INACDUTRA while working on the flight line at Hill Air Force Base in October 2006, which resulted in surgery. The Board grants service connection for right inguinal hernia residuals.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be incurred in service, and the claim for service connection is granted. The issues of bilateral hearing loss disability and skin disability are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including verification of periods of active duty and inactive duty training (ACDUTRA/INACDUTRA), obtaining additional medical opinions regarding hearing loss and tinnitus, and providing the Veteran with a supplemental statement of the case on his claim for migraine headaches.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is etiologically related to his active service, and therefore grants service connection for tinnitus. The issue of whether the Veteran's headache disability is secondary to his now service-connected sinusitis remains under consideration.

The Board has determined that the July 2010 VA examination was inadequate and remanded for a new medical examination. The case is now being returned to the RO/AOJ for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the onset and relationship of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus to service. The Veteran's testimony will be considered in formulating a new opinion.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as the Board finds that there is sufficient evidence to support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation, with continuity of symptomatology since discharge.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to in-service acoustic trauma and continuous symptoms since service separation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU, but VA policy requires consideration of an extraschedular rating under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b). The case is REMANDED to allow for referral to the Director of Compensation and Pension for consideration.