Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA audiological examination to determine the relationship between his current hearing loss and tinnitus and service.

The Veteran's service-connected GERD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are found to be the primary causes of his diagnosed depressive disorder with anxious distress features. The Board grants service connection for this acquired psychiatric disability on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional information and evidence, as well as to schedule a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are at least as likely as not related to his military service, including exposure to noise during basic training. As a result, the claims for service connection for these conditions have been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and is not causally related to service. As such, the claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not combine to render him unable to obtain and retain substantially gainful employment, as his combined rating is only 60 percent.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus effective April 18, 2014. The Veteran's claim was initially filed in May 2004 and reopened multiple times thereafter. Tinnitus is a condition that can be diagnosed by lay observation.

The Veteran is found to be unemployable due to service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from November 1, 2005 forward. The Board granted TDIU effective November 1, 2005.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted service connection on the basis of Agent Orange exposure. The claim for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus was denied as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service exposure.

The Veteran's tinnitus and anxiety disorder, NOS are found to be related to his military service.,Myasthenia gravis is not found to be related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not manifest within one year of separation from service, and thus could not be presumed to have been incurred therein. The VA examiners concluded that there was no causal relationship between the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and his current disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine his employability due to service-connected disabilities from April 5, 2013 to present.

The Veteran's tinnitus and headaches have been found to be related to service, with the Board granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of entitlement to service connection for asbestosis, COPD, hypertension, and GERD at his hearing before the Board.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development, including an examination to evaluate the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to secure and maintain gainful employment.

The evidence does not show that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus is related to in-service loud noise exposure, and therefore service connection cannot be established.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, floor of the mouth, and head and neck, lumbar spine disability, pain radiating into bilateral lower extremities, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus. The Board found that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and insufficient medical evidence to establish a nexus between any current disabilities and service.

The Board has remanded the case due to scheduling issues and will schedule a hearing for the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is as likely as not incurred in service, resolving all reasonable doubt in his favor. The claim for bilateral hearing loss remains denied.