Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and sleep apnea as the evidence did not show these conditions were related to active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his service, with noise exposure during decommissioning ships. Service connection is granted for both conditions.

The Board has determined that there is at least a 50/50 chance (equipoise) that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, specifically exposure to loud noises during his time in Vietnam. As such, the claim for service connection for these conditions has been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that he is only marginally employed due to his disabilities.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of establishing that the preexisting hearing loss or tinnitus were aggravated beyond its natural progression during service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because there is no evidence of a current disability. The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral tinnitus is granted as the Veteran has provided credible testimony regarding when he first experienced symptoms.

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

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain, tinnitus, and headaches are all related to her service. The left knee condition and gastrointestinal condition other than GERD have not been established as being related to her service.,Further examination is needed for the left knee condition and a determination on the gastrointestinal condition other than GERD.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The issues of ischemic heart disease with heart problems (angina) and chronic headaches are remanded for further development.

The Board dismissed the appeal of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his small cell lung cancer was likely caused by his liver cancer, which was presumed to be due to exposure at Camp Lejeune. The decision is based on a presumption of exposure and does not involve direct service connection.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed as he withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made. The Board granted service connection for PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's claims for chronic ear infections, right ear with chronic eustachian tube dysfunction, and right ear drum perforation and scarring are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability and tinnitus are granted as secondary to service-connected disabilities. The sleep disorder claim is remanded for further development.

The claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety disorder and depressive disorder) have been dismissed. The claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and vertigo, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are related to in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's claims were based on his reports of ringing in his ears (tinnitus) and dizziness (vertigo) during military service.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD.,Service connection was not granted because the evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's current tinnitus or PTSD began during service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether these conditions are related to service. The Veteran's testimony of noise exposure during service was considered credible.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for tinnitus has been granted, with a maximum of 10 percent. The claims for increased ratings for right-ear hearing loss and PTSD have not been addressed as they are already at the highest possible rating under VA regulations. The claim for service connection for left-ear hearing loss is reopened due to new evidence received since the last final denial in August 2007, but no specific rating has been assigned yet. The claims for cervical spine disorder and low back disorder have been granted with a maximum of 40 percent under Diagnostic Code 5025. The claim for erectile dysfunction remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, and therefore grants TDIU.