Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2016

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus. The claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, is being remanded to the AOJ.

The Board has granted the appellant's request for TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation. The appellant's tinnitus is rated at its maximum under the applicable schedular criteria, while his prostate cancer residuals are also fully contemplated by the schedular rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus began during service and is related to his military service. The Veteran also has current diagnoses of PTSD and anxiety disorder, which are found to be related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA examination reports and addressing issues related to service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus are related to his active service. The Veteran was exposed to noise during service and currently experiences these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have current hearing loss or tinnitus for VA purposes and denied service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are related to service, specifically noise exposure during military service. As such, both conditions have been granted service connection.

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 exposure to loud noise.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as new and material evidence was not received. The right knee disability claim was also denied, with a combined rating of 30 percent from February 25, 2009 through August 28, 2012.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA audiology examination to assess the severity of his bilateral hearing loss and service connection for tinnitus. The claim will be readjudicated after all relevant evidence has been considered.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, specifically the lack of audiometric evaluations from his employment with the Federal Government.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a current disability related to active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for depression, blood in urine/hematuria, and hypogonadism. The Veteran's PTSD and status post laminectomies L4-5 disabilities are currently rated at their maximum levels.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board has determined that tinnitus was not incurred or aggravated during ACDUTRA, and thus denied the claim for service connection. The psychiatric disorder issue is addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to in-service noise exposure. The residuals of ureterolithiasis have been rated at 60 percent based on constant urine leakage requiring absorbent materials changed more than four times per day.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus do not make him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is found to have been aggravated by service, warranting service connection.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as the evidence shows these conditions had their onset in service.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (likely PTSD) is granted based on credible supporting evidence of a stressor that occurred during service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to service, while the remaining issues on appeal will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected due to the lack of continuous total disability rating for at least ten years prior to his death. The cause of death, rectal cancer, is not related to military service or exposure.