Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2015

The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at the maximum allowable under VA guidelines, and his right orchiectomy does not warrant a compensable rating. The effective date for SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ was determined to be October 25, 2010.,There is no legal basis for assigning a higher rating for tinnitus as the maximum schedular rating has been assigned.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing the Veteran with appropriate examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, but denied service connection for tissue damage secondary to removal of a mass from the neck.

The Board found no evidence of tinnitus during service or within one year after separation, and there is insufficient credible evidence to establish a relationship between current tinnitus and active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus began in service and is related to noise exposure, granting his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, an opinion on ED causation, a skin disorder examination, and a VA examination regarding his back, neck, right shoulder, and bilateral foot disorders.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes and there is no evidence of tinnitus in service or continuity of symptoms since service. Therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are causally related to noise exposure during active service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records from 2009 through the present.

The Veteran's death was caused by an accidental overdose of medication prescribed for his service-connected PTSD, which is considered a principal cause of death. The appeal for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is now moot due to the grant of service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's tinnitus is service connected. The claims for a gastrointestinal disability and psychiatric disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board has remanded all issues for further development due to the Veteran's request for a videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, colon cancer, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have all been denied. The Board found no evidence to support a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including scheduling a VA audiological examination and obtaining an opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the appellant's hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has denied the appellant's claim for service connection for PTSD due to a lack of current diagnosis and no evidence linking his claimed stressors to his current symptoms. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and lumbar spine disorder are also pending.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are found to be etiologically related to acoustic trauma sustained in active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure of proper notice for a scheduled Board hearing. The issues on appeal are related to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and right shoulder disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and left knee degenerative joint disease are related to service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's tinnitus and hypertension are found to have had their onset during service, warranting the grant of service connection for both conditions.