Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise, finding that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active duty service. As such, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.,Service connection is denied for sinusitis and a bilateral knee disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right ankle condition, left ankle condition, and low back condition. The appeals were based on direct service connection.

The Veteran's multiple service-connected disabilities, including DDD of the lumbar spine and peripheral neuropathy associated with diabetes mellitus (DM), effectively preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as a right shoulder disability. The Veteran's current conditions were not found to be related to his active military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's military service. Bilateral hearing loss is presumed due to in-service noise exposure, while tinnitus is considered secondary to his hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case for further action, including scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO or by live videoconference.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection. The Veteran's PTSD has also been granted, with a rating of 30 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus were granted effective March 19, 2012. The appeals seeking earlier effective dates prior to this date are denied.,No service connection was established before March 19, 2012.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or caused by service, and thus denied his claim for service connection. The right knee disability is also denied as secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran died from cardiopulmonary arrest due to sepsis syndrome. The Board found that this condition was not incurred or aggravated by service and is not related to any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus is currently rated at the maximum allowed under VA guidelines.,VA has determined that the Veteran does not have hearing loss for VA purposes.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in service, as there was no evidence of a current disability during or within one year after service. The VA examinations did not find any link between his current conditions and service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's failure to appear at previously scheduled VA examinations and requests for additional evidence. The claims will be reconsidered after completing any necessary development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, left little finger neuropathy, and tinnitus, do not meet the criteria for a TDIU on a schedular basis.,However, the Veteran's parents are dependent on him for their reasonable maintenance, entitling them to additional compensation based on dependent parents.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The evidence did not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions and missing records.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension based on the evidence of record.