Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss was not aggravated by service, and his left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to military noise exposure and denied service connection for tinnitus. The issues of an increased disability rating for mood disorder and TDIU are addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, including noise exposure. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active duty service, thus granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and Crohn's disease. The decision is based on direct service connection due to in-service noise exposure for tinnitus and a plausible explanation provided by the Veteran regarding his onset of symptoms.

The Board has granted special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance of another person, as the evidence shows that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused him to be in need of regular aid and assistance.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a 100% rating for hearing loss and a 30% rating for PTSD, prevent him from securing or maintaining gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claims will be readjudicated after this development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus, right ear hearing loss, and tension headache disorder are service-connected. The heart disability, throat disability, and back disability claims have been denied due to lack of evidence of a current disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of in-service acoustic trauma or a compensable degree of hearing loss within one year post-service. The VA examiner found it speculative to determine if any current hearing loss or tinnitus were caused by service.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is service-connected as it worsened during active duty, and his left ear hearing loss may also be related to service due to exposure to noise. The Veteran's tinnitus is likely linked to his right ear hearing loss.,An initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD will need further review.

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable evaluations for bilateral hearing loss and increased ratings for tinnitus have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher evaluation under VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when evaluated in association with his educational attainment and occupational experience, preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the criteria for TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b) have been met.

The Board found that the Veteran's claims for tinnitus, right eye glaucoma, and left eye glaucoma were granted. However, service connection was denied for ulcer disorder, bilateral hip disorder, and high blood pressure due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's initial claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as they did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating or higher.,The effective dates for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied as the original claim was received within one year of discharge.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination. The issue of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea remains inextricably intertwined with his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's tinnitus was incurred in service and granted. The issues of bilateral hearing loss and PTSD were withdrawn prior to the decision.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not meet the criteria for service connection, as there was no evidence of a current disability in service or at separation. The Board also noted that the onset of his tinnitus coincided with his sudden hearing loss, which was attributed to an idiopathic condition rather than military acoustic trauma.