Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2015

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

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus did not manifest during service or due to noise exposure, thus denying service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if his current hearing loss disability and tinnitus are related to service, including noise exposure and head trauma.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with scheduling a VA examination and verifying the Veteran's address. The claim will be returned for further development.

The Board finds that the Veteran experienced acoustic trauma during service and has provided competent evidence of current tinnitus. Therefore, service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and right shoulder disability are related to his military service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to in-service acoustic trauma and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board found no evidence of a hearing loss disability at separation from service and insufficient medical opinion to establish a nexus between current bilateral hearing loss and active service. For tinnitus, the Veteran's statements regarding onset were deemed not credible.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records and the need for VA examinations to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and rhinitis are considered to have contributed substantially and materially to his cause of death. The Board has determined that the criteria for a TDIU prior to October 21, 2009 are met.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss were not incurred or aggravated during active service, nor may they be presumed to have been so incurred. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the VA examination and opinion provided were inadequate, as they did not consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service noise exposure and symptoms. The case is being remanded for another VA examination to address these issues.

The Board is considering multiple claims for service connection and reopening of previously denied claims. The Veteran's hearing loss, tinnitus, chronic pain due to burns, depressive neurosis, seizure disorder, and chronic sleep disorder are all under review.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis was granted, but the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 6522. Service connection for bilateral knee disorders, tinnitus, and obstructive sleep apnea were also denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran has a bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus related to his military service, with an approximate balance of evidence in favor of these claims. The Veteran reported noise exposure during service and has provided credible testimony regarding his symptoms since service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to scheduling issues for a Board hearing. Service connection claims for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are pending.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with the Board finding that both conditions were incurred in active service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure. The claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss was reopened due to new evidence submitted since the final May 2005 rating decision.

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