Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2016

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for clarification of her preferred hearing type and scheduling a new hearing.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and found that the Veteran's PTSD disability rating is warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran. As a result, both conditions have been granted service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA social and industrial survey to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his service-connected hearing loss, and thus service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claims of service connection for back and neck disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have its onset during service and the Board finds that it is related to his military noise exposure. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is remanded as the VA examination opinions are inadequate due to a lack of discussion regarding the threshold shift in hearing acuity between entrance and separation from service.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate November 2013 VA examination report, and the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus will be adjudicated again with a new examination.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral pes planus, and a residual scar from an upper lip injury are all denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or in-service incurrence.,There is no competent medical evidence showing the Veteran has any of these conditions.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were found to be related to in-service hazardous noise exposure, resulting in a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active military service, as evidenced by noise exposure during service. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure. The remaining issues are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim of service connection for tinnitus, finding that no new and material evidence had been received. The Veteran's assertions about worsening symptoms were not considered new and material as they did not relate to a previously unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the underlying claims.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to insufficient examination opinions regarding the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and their impact on his employability. The case is now referred for further evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 22, 2012.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, but his right ear hearing loss and Hepatitis C have not been established as service-connected.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for PTSD, currently rated at 30 percent prior to November 17, 2010 and 100 percent thereafter, is granted. The effective date of the increased rating remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to schedule the appellant for a videoconference hearing at his local RO.

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling a Travel Board hearing at the RO. The Veteran's appeal is not yet decided on the merits of his claims.