Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his in-service noise exposure, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board found no evidence of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus during service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus and kidney disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development. The case will be reconsidered after all necessary steps have been taken.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine, prostate cancer residuals, traumatic arthritis of both knees, tinnitus, epididymitis, otitis externa of the left ear, deformity of the right great toenail, and erectile dysfunction, rendered him unable to secure or follow any form of substantially gainful employment prior to April 1, 2013.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to February 7, 2011. The Board has granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus are at least as likely as not aggravated by service. As a result, these conditions have been granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure, resulting in a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, while his left knee disability is not shown by the evidence of record for the period on appeal.

The Board has remanded the earlier effective date claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as the issues of service connection for PTSD, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The appeal is not resolved yet.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that new and material evidence has been received. On de novo review, it is now determined that these conditions are related to service exposure to noise trauma.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active duty service, thus granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for degenerative arthritis and chondrocalcinosis of the left knee under DC 5258, effective June 2, 2017. The Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected, and he is entitled to a separate rating for instability of his left knee.

The Veteran's tinnitus and hearing loss are service-connected, with a rating of 10% for each condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to noise exposure during service, granting his claims for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, specifically exposure to noise during active duty. As such, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with no significant threshold shifts noted in his separation examination. The claims for service connection have been granted.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claim can be decided on the merits, including obtaining VA audiological examination and service personnel records.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and initial compensable rating for tension headaches were granted. The claim for a TDIU prior to March 13, 2007 was also granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, hypogonadism, and a pituitary condition. The conditions are all found to be related to active service or an incident of service, including undiagnosed illness.