Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not constitute an employment handicap as defined by VA regulations, and he is therefore not eligible for vocational rehabilitation benefits.

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

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board finds that an extraschedular TDIU rating is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected psoriatic arthritis is rated at 30 percent prior to August 10, 2011 and at 80 percent from that date. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. Service connection for tinnitus was denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection, but his bilateral hearing loss and heart disorder are denied. The appeal for an undiagnosed illness was not addressed as it pertained to a different issue.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for PTSD and determined that new and material evidence has been received. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his in-service acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's attorney has withdrawn all issues currently on appeal, including service connection for right cheek scar and tinnitus; an earlier effective date for PTSD with major depressive disorder; and increased ratings for PTSD with major depressive disorder, TBI residual, left knee injury residuals, and right knee strain. The Board does not have jurisdiction to consider these matters.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus and finds that new and material evidence has been received to support reopening of this claim. The Board also finds that the preponderance of the evidence is in favor of a finding that the Veteran's current tinnitus was at least as likely as not related to his military service, specifically due to noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for gastritis and panic disorder, as well as service connection for PTSD and tinnitus, was granted. The rating for panic disorder has been increased to 70 percent from December 7, 2016 onwards.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is as likely related to his in-service noise exposure, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's current diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his active military service, warranting service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating or additional service connection.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be causally related to a head injury he sustained during service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, so the cases are dismissed.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his in-service noise exposure, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are related to his military service, resolving doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and thus denied service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that none of the Veteran's service-connected conditions caused or contributed substantially to his death from an acute intracerebral hemorrhage due to deep vein thrombosis. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to active service and the claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a low back condition is remanded.