Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2015

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling a respiratory examination. The Veteran's claims for service connection will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, rated at 70 percent disabling, prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment during the period from February 12, 2007 to February 23, 2009.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to active military service and his onychomycosis of the bilateral toes does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating. The appeal is granted in part.

The Veteran's claim for service connection on all of his listed conditions was denied due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations and insufficient evidence to establish service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not related to his military service, including any in-service acoustic trauma or disease.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development to determine the etiology of the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus.,The Board is also remanding the case for additional development to determine the etiology of the Veteran's gastrointestinal disability and neurologic disability of the upper and lower extremities, including consideration of presumed exposure to herbicides in service.,,VA will issue a decision on the remaining issues after completing the necessary development.

The Board has determined that there is no current evidence of a right arm disability or tinnitus in service and the Veteran does not have these conditions currently. The Board also found that the Veteran's tinnitus did not start during service.

The Veteran has withdrawn his claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as for an initial compensable rating for the scar, status post laceration of the chin.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and found it at least as likely as not that the Veteran's current tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure. The GERD claim remains pending, with a need for additional development including an examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional service treatment records and VA treatment records, as well as to schedule the Veteran for a VA audiology and psychiatric examination. The claims will be re-adjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's claim for service-connected compensation benefits for a spouse was denied because the effective date cannot be earlier than April 25, 2011, as he did not submit evidence of dependency within one year of notification of his December 2009 rating decision assigning a 40 percent disability rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete evidence. The VA will need to obtain additional records from the Veteran's former employer, Chimney Rock Public Power District, and arrange for a new examination if necessary.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and erectile dysfunction, render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board grants a TDIU based on these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for tinnitus is granted, as the evidence supports a finding of current disability and continuity of symptomatology from service. The Board finds that his assertions regarding in-service noise exposure are credible and consistent with the circumstances of his service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are at least as likely as not related to his military service. The issue of a TDIU is also remanded due to new evidence indicating an increase in PTSD severity.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than March 11, 2009 for the award of service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus is denied. The earliest possible effective date based on new and material evidence other than service department records is March 11, 2009.

The Veteran's tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and hypertension are all found to be related to service. The Board has granted the claims for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss were denied. The back disability was rated at 20 percent, the right foot disability at 10 percent, and tinnitus received its maximum schedular rating of 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, thus granting service connection for these conditions. The claim for a headache disorder is remanded.