Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a statement from M.J.L., PA. The Veteran's claim for a specially adapted housing grant is being returned to the AOJ for further review.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD at least as likely as not renders him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board finds that he meets the schedular requirements for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to November 30, 2011.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of tinnitus and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a finding of service connection.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his service. Therefore, service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, a skin disorder (claimed as jungle rot), sexual dysfunction, and tooth loss. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service injury or disease that led to these conditions.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and low back disorder are all found to be related to his military service. The Veteran is granted service connection for these conditions. However, the Veteran's cervical spine disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating prior to September 1, 2015.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active service or INACDUTRA service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be the result of extensive acoustic trauma in service, and thus service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment, as his physical limitations are manageable in a sedentary job environment.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current diagnoses of left ear sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus are etiologically related to noise exposure in service, and grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's recurrent tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and may not be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain all relevant medical records and a VA examination. The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for a left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral pes planus. However, due to conflicting opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's current hearing loss, a new medical opinion is needed to determine whether it is at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disorders are related to his military service, but the bilateral knee and foot conditions may not be. The acquired psychiatric disorder is also related to service.,The Veteran has a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder (schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type with psychotic symptoms) that likely had its onset during or is otherwise related to his period of active duty from 1973 to 1979.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are at least as likely as not related to his in-service noise exposure, resulting in a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral tinnitus began in service and has persisted since then, granting his claim for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus in September 2008, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities were not related to his active service. The claim was reopened based on new evidence received since then, but the Board found no causal relationship between the disabilities and service.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular percentage requirements for a total rating, and thus did not warrant an extraschedular TDIU. The Veteran was previously employed but lost his job due to taking prescribed medication for pain related to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a nexus between his symptoms and service. The appeal for these claims is denied.