Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of tinnitus is related to his in-service exposure to loud noises without hearing protection.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of service connection for ischemic heart disease due to lack of a VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as secondary to NSAID medication due to noise exposure during service. Additional evidence is needed, including private or VA treatment records and an opinion from a VA audiologist regarding whether the current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are service connected, as is his diabetes mellitus type II. The Veteran also receives a TDIU since November 27, 2013 due to PTSD.

The Board has granted the reopening of claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding new evidence that raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims. The Veteran's in-service noise exposure is conceded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were granted service connection, but diabetes mellitus type II, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was established due to in-service noise exposure. Service connection for tinnitus was also granted as it is related to the Veteran's current hearing loss.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's in-service noise exposure likely caused his current condition.

The Board has remanded the cases of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and the decision to reduce the rating for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease due to new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims file is incomplete and requires further development to adjudicate his service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, finding that the current condition is not related to military service due to conflicting reports of when the symptoms began and lack of probative evidence linking the tinnitus to noise exposure during service.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began in or were related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for tinnitus has been dismissed. The Board also remanded the issue of his hearing loss, requesting that he be scheduled for an examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected hearing loss.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected anxiety disorder and opioid pain medications. The claims for left hip disability, right hip disability, bilateral ocular disability, respiratory disability, hypogonadism with erectile dysfunction, skin condition, recurrent sprains of the left ankle, recurrent sprains of the right ankle, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, status post left foot tendon release with benign tumor of the plantar surface with plantar fasciitis, and status post right foot tendon release with benign tumor of the plantar surface with plantar fasciitis are all denied. The Veteran is granted a 50 percent rating for tension-migraine headaches.

The Veteran's service in Vietnam is alleged to have exposed him to noise trauma, leading to ear infections and hearing loss. The RO has already granted service connection for acute otitis media right, but the Board finds that further development is needed to determine if his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are secondary to this condition.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, and headaches as there was no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence.,The Veteran's claims were not supported by medical evidence showing the presence of these conditions during or after service.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses claims for July 7, 2013 private hospitalization and ambulance services were denied because he did not receive VA medical services within the required 24-month period preceding the treatment.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is etiologically related to his active duty service.

The Board has denied service connection for hearing loss but granted service connection for tinnitus. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD) is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The cases of bilateral hearing loss, major depressive disorder, insomnia, erectile dysfunction, and hepatitis C with chronic fatigue are remanded due to the need for additional development.