Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2015

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, right ankle sprain, left ankle sprain and/or fracture, low back pain, tinnitus, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), and diverticulitis. The reasons provided were that there was no evidence to support these claims based on the available records.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and a thoracic spine disability, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during his active duty service. The decision is based on credible lay statements and medical evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and left knee disability had their onset in service. Service connection is granted for all four conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a seizure disorder, right ear hearing loss, or tinnitus. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's combined disability rating does not meet the threshold for consideration of a schedular TDIU, as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

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

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and treatment records, as well as issuance of a Statement of the Case regarding his claims for service connection for tinnitus and right knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were granted with an effective date of June 30, 2010. The decision was based on new evidence received after the initial denial in 2004.

The Veteran's death was caused by cardiopulmonary arrest, which is not service-connected. The underlying causes of hypertension and interstitial lung disease are also not service-connected on a presumptive basis due to Agent Orange exposure. Diabetes mellitus, while presumed service-connected, did not contribute to the cause of death.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Capital Regional Medical Center on September 6, 2012 is denied as the condition was not an emergency and no VA facility was feasibly available.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of left ear hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted, but the earliest possible effective date is determined based on when he filed his claim. The Board found that an effective date of February 18, 1987, for left ear hearing loss disability and September 2, 2004, for tinnitus are appropriate.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need to obtain VA treatment records and conduct a new examination for his hearing loss and tinnitus claims.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for tinnitus has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and lower extremity neuropathy.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be incurred in service, and the acquired psychiatric disorder is considered a direct result of his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, thus the criteria for a TDIU rating have not been met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's TBI, bipolar disorder with panic attacks, and tinnitus are all related to his service-connected TBI. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

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

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active service and secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, thus service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his military service, and the appeal for an increased disability rating for PTSD and anxiety disorder was withdrawn prior to a decision.