Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are service-connected, with no new or material evidence found to reopen the claim for GERD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that it did not start in or result from military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, but has granted service connection for tinnitus due to credible evidence of its occurrence during service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his active military service. The skin cancer claim is remanded due to lack of STRs and incomplete information regarding radiation exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and earlier effective dates for service connection of tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to incomplete records.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD due to a lack of current disability diagnoses. The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran had these conditions during or in proximity to his active duty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active service and granted service connection for this condition. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a traumatic brain injury remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus, migraine headache disability, acid reflux, left elbow disability, low back disability, right hand disability, and right shoulder disability. The Board found that there was no current diagnosis of these conditions and that they were not related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's callouses/skin condition of his feet are related to service and grants service connection for this condition. The issues of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address his claims of service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The case will be returned to the Board for further appellate consideration if necessary.

The Board found no evidence of a causal relationship between the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities and his military service, as there was no in-service noise exposure or complaints. The earliest clinical evidence of these conditions is many years after separation from service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his service, specifically the noise exposure from firing artillery pieces without hearing protection during active duty in Vietnam. The Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for reopening his claim of service connection for tinea pedis and for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the tinea pedis claim, and that an earlier effective date was not warranted as a matter of law.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, a heart disorder, and otitis media. This includes obtaining post-service medical records, scheduling examinations by appropriate specialists, and determining if there is any relationship between these conditions and military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran. As such, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which are claimed as related to his periods of active duty training (ACDUTRA).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service exposure to noise, and thus grants both claims.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are at least as likely as not related to his military service, including exposure to noise during active duty. Therefore, both conditions have been granted service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to consider the validity of his claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, while a low back disorder is not. The Veteran's low back disability was not shown in service or within one year of separation, and there is no evidence of continuity of symptomatology since service.