Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus began during his active service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted the reopening of claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus. The claims for service connection for a low back disability are remanded due to inadequate development.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his military service, with noise exposure being a contributing factor.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for tinnitus, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, right knee disorder, and right ankle disorder due to incomplete compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of his left knee condition, bilateral tinnitus, and residuals of a head injury. The VA is required to obtain STRs, provide suggestions for alternative sources if available, schedule examinations, and request medical opinions.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his service, as the evidence is in equipoise and the benefit of the doubt rule applies.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence being added to the record after a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The VA will need to obtain any additional VA treatment records and consider all submitted evidence in an appropriate SSOC.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 0 percent, the maximum rating available.,Tinnitus has been assigned a 10 percent rating and cannot be increased further under VA regulations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for generalized anxiety disorder is granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and lumbar spine disability are denied. Effective dates prior to July 27, 2012 for these disabilities are also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus due to insufficient examination opinions in the original decision. The VA examiner did not consider all relevant evidence, including prior audiometric evaluations from service records and the impact of the Veteran's MOS on his hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied in March 1991. He filed a new claim to reopen his previous denial on December 30, 2011, and the VA granted service connection effective from that date.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral recurrent tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not caused by his military service. Service connection was denied for diabetes mellitus due to lack of in-service exposure or evidence of a compensable level within one year post-service. The claim for bilateral knee disability is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence linking these conditions to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, paranoid disorder, anxiety disorder, and depression due to incomplete evaluations and a need for additional evidence. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to unclear audiometric data from service, potential aggravation of pre-existing conditions, and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, which are believed to be related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right ankle fracture with degenerative arthritis status post fusion, bilateral hearing loss disability, and bilateral tinnitus are granted. The claim for secondary service connection for low back disorder is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied service connection for tinnitus. Service connection for Parkinson's disease is remanded due to insufficient medical opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no prior claim or decision addressing these issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, numbness in the left hand, and bilateral hearing loss have been granted. The case is remanded for further development regarding the claim of numbness in the left hand.