Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2016

The Board found that the Veteran's right ankle, back, headaches, and tinnitus disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service. The right hip disability was also denied as there is no evidence of ankylosis or malunion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and the shoulder disability (including joint pain) was not related to in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise and therefore grants service connection for tinnitus as it is etiologically related to acoustic trauma sustained during active service.

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

The Veteran's appeal is denied as his conditions have not met the criteria for increased ratings or service connection.

The Veteran's tinnitus is determined to be a result of his military service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The July 6, 2006 decision denied service connection for various conditions including depression, tinnitus, stroke, colon cancer, gastrointestinal problems (irritable bowel syndrome), and Type II diabetes mellitus. The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in this decision.

The Board has denied all the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection, finding that May 10, 2010 is the correct date of receipt of his initial claim.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be caused by in-service exposure to excessive and harmful noise, resulting in the grant of service connection for tinnitus. The bilateral hearing loss claim is pending further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and obstructive sleep apnea. The left shoulder disability was rated at 20 percent, while the right ankle disability was also rated at 20 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and recurrent tinnitus, finding no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for various mental health conditions, including PTSD, tinnitus, a sleep disorder, alcohol abuse, and depression. The Board has determined that new evidence supports reopening the claim for service connection of a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (excluding adjustment disorder, personality disorder, and disabilities manifested by nervousness and/or memory loss).

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus did not manifest within one year of separation and is not related to service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that it does not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of his noise exposure claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The remaining issues, including the reopening of a claim for left ear hearing loss and rating claims for knees and ears, require additional development.

The Veteran's tinnitus and sleep apnea claims are being remanded for additional development as the VA examinations did not fully address the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset of symptoms, as well as the April 2010 report of Dr. Rull, the April 2010 statement of the Veteran's spouse, and the June 2014 statements from the Veteran's fellow servicemen.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's lay testimony is credible and resolving any doubt in his favor. The claim of entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss remains pending as it was not addressed by the January 2010 VA examination.