Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2017

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a low back disability, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The decision also addressed issues related to reopening his claim for PTSD.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his military service, with the noise exposure as a Machine Gunner being considered the primary cause.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development, including an audiologist opinion to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to function in a work setting.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and anxiety disorder. The right shoulder condition was rated at 20 percent prior to May 13, 2013, and 40 percent thereafter. The scar on the knee is not compensable.

The Veteran's tinnitus had its onset in service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The left knee disability is also found to have an onset during service, warranting service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have been evaluated based on the criteria provided in the rating schedule. The appeal is denied as the evidence does not support a higher disability rating for any of the conditions.

The Veteran's tinnitus and left ear hearing loss were found to have onset during service, warranting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the issue of service connection for tinnitus before a decision was made by the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral foot condition has been reopened and granted. The Board finds that the preexisting bilateral foot disability was aggravated by his active duty military service.,Service connection is established for headaches, as the Veteran experienced these symptoms during service and continues to experience them since discharge.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, stroke, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for service connection in any of these cases.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected as they are related to in-service acoustic trauma exposure. The issues of entitlement to service connection for upper extremity neuropathy and TDIU have been remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining updated medical records. The TDIU application should also be completed.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling an audiology examination. The issue of TDIU will be addressed after adjudication of the increased rating claim for hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his service, as there is no positive nexus opinion in the record. The preponderance of evidence is against the claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected based on continuity of symptomatology since service. The other issues have been remanded for further action.

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

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions have been reopened, but the Board finds that new evidence does not establish a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have tinnitus or bilateral hearing loss that manifested in service or is otherwise related to his military service. As such, service connection for these conditions cannot be established.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and malaria are found to have contributed to his death from acute coronary syndrome, but not as the principal cause. The claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is dismissed due to the grant of DIC based on service connection.