Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2015

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, as well as vocational rehabilitation records. The Veteran's unemployability claim will be reconsidered based on the updated evidence.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus and PTSD, were granted. The hearing loss claim was denied as there is no current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected, with the Board finding that these conditions are related to his military noise exposure.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to service, and the claim for service connection is granted.,The issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for ulcerative colitis is reopened. The claim remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service exposure to loud noises, and thus service connection is granted for both conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current tinnitus is causally related to his in-service exposure to noise. The left knee disability issue remains pending and will be remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, including noise exposure. As such, the claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and an addendum to the April 2012 VA examination report.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. However, the Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss for VA purposes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hearing loss disability is related to his service, including exposure to gunfire and jet engine noise. As a result, the claim for service connection for hearing loss is granted.

The Board denied all service connection claims, including those for schizophrenia, anxiety and depression, hearing loss, tinnitus, residuals of a fractured left tibia, back condition, and sciatica of the left lower extremity. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for schizophrenia.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection of a left shoulder disability and to reopen the claim of service connection for spondylolysis. The claims of hearing loss and tinnitus have been decided, with tinnitus found to be service-connected but no rating assigned due to lack of current hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have had its onset during active service and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the VA examination conducted in January 2013 is inadequate for the Veteran's hearing loss claim and remanded both the hearing loss and tinnitus claims due to their being inextricably intertwined. The claims are now back before the Board.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of verified service records, and further efforts should be made to verify the appellant's active duty and training periods.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records. The issues are service connection for a balance disorder, including as secondary to service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, and entitlement to a compensable disability rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have been incurred in service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss was granted with an effective date of December 7, 2010. The decision also recognized that the Veteran's claim for tinnitus had been pending since October 1971.