Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2015

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea and assigned a 10 percent rating for tinnitus, effective July 19, 2010. The Veteran's request for an increased disability rating for his tinnitus is denied as the current rating already reflects the maximum schedular evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for hearing loss, broken right ear drum, and tinnitus were denied as there is no current disability. The claim for acquired psychiatric disorder was remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus, Major Depressive Disorder, and anxiety were found to be related to service. The Veteran's sleep apnea was not found to be related to service or coincident with service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a lack of VA medical records from January 1968 to June 1984. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran was granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, type II diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease due to exposure to herbicides. The COPD claim is pending as the evidence does not establish a direct relationship with service.,Tinnitus was found to be less likely caused by service.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disorder, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active duty service.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new and material evidence. The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his military service, and he is granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied. The claim for increased rating for residuals of SFW of the right lower extremity with Muscle Group (MG) XI damage and with retained foreign bodies (RFBs) was also denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be etiologically related to his active military service.

The Veteran's chronic tinnitus is as likely as not the result of inservice acoustic trauma, and therefore service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for comprehensive genitourinary and audiological examinations to determine the current severity of his recurrent epididymitis and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and PTSD were denied. The Board found that the criteria for a higher rating were not met at any point during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection, while his PTSD disability has been granted an initial evaluation of 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to determine the relationship between his current hearing loss and tinnitus and his active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a fungal infection of the right foot and tinnitus have been granted. The claim for hearing loss is reopened, but further evidence is needed to determine if it was incurred in service.

The Veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected conditions, and the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 are not met.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus. The issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was withdrawn by the Veteran during a DRO hearing.

The Veteran's claim for payment of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Bronson Battle Creek Hospital on March 11, 2013 is granted due to the presence of service-connected disabilities and the emergent nature of his condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate rationale in a VA audiologist's opinion regarding tinnitus. The Veteran also submitted new evidence suggesting his tinnitus may be related to hearing loss, which could potentially support a secondary service connection claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for periodontal disease, resulting in edentulism, was granted. The claims for hypertension, bilateral cataracts, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss disability were denied as not related to his active service or service-connected conditions.