Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was reopened and granted. Service connection for a respiratory disability due to asbestos exposure is denied, as is the claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to ensure proper development of the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The case will be returned to the Board after further action.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to active service. Right ear hearing loss was denied due to lack of current diagnosis.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, right ear hearing loss, and increased rating for left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's tinnitus is being remanded for additional development to determine if it is related to service, including noise exposure. The issue of whether the Veteran's transient head noise is related to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss will also be addressed.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and conversion of audiometric results from ASA units to ISO-ANSI standards. The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus will be reconsidered based on this additional evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to scheduling issues and the need for a Statement of the Case (SOC) on the low back disability service connection claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations have been denied. The claim of service connection for right pes planus has been reopened, but the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus did not manifest during service or within one year of discharge, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the combined effect of all his service-connected disabilities on his ability to work.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, including whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board found no current tinnitus disability, denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability due to lack of evidence meeting VA standards, and denied service connection for TBI as the Veteran's symptoms are not consistent with in-service injury. The Veteran is therefore not entitled to service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a disability rating of 70 percent, effective from May 5, 2009 to July 25, 2013. The Veteran's other claims have been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development and examination, including obtaining relevant VA treatment records and arranging an audio examination of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service records and medical opinions regarding the Veteran's low back disorder, bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, and lung disorder.

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

The Board has determined that a timely Notice of Disagreement (NOD) was received with respect to the August 2011 rating decision denying service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claims are now remanded for further development.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a current disability.