Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2015

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have arisen in service and continued since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, shrapnel wound scars, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss disability, prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU on both schedular and extraschedular bases.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and increased the ratings for arthritis of both knees to 10 percent each.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to inadequate opinions from the VA examiner. Additional medical comment is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his active military service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA audiologic examination to evaluate the current severity of his service-connected left ear hearing loss and the nature and etiology of any current right ear hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes and therefore denied his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. However, the Board granted service connection for tinnitus as it was incurred in service.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine disorder and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to her service. Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for further development to verify his service dates and obtain all relevant medical records, including those from the VA Medical Center in St. Louis.

The Board finds the evidence is in equipoise regarding the relationship between the Veteran's tinnitus and his military service, and thus grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inconsistencies in the evidence and need for clarification on the relationship between the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus with service.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further development due to issues with the previous decision denying TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need to obtain additional evidence and provide an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities.

The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for a grant of service connection for tinnitus due to clear and unmistakable error in a previous rating decision. The case has been remanded for further action, including scheduling the appellant for a videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of concussion, shrapnel fragment wound of the face, left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus have been granted. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, but have been granted as direct service connection based on evidence of a current disability and in-service noise exposure. The Veteran was provided with adequate VA examinations for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are not service-connected as they did not manifest during or within one year after his military service, and there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for neurogenic bladder. Service connection is granted as the Veteran's current disability is at least 50% likely due to his in-service injury. Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his claims of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The opinions are needed to address whether the conditions pre-existed service, were related to in-service noise exposure, or manifested within one year of discharge.

The Board has decided that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's tinnitus, as well as whether it had its onset in active service or is otherwise caused by active service. The case will be remanded for this purpose.