Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are granted. The decision is based on new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion regarding the impact of his service-connected tinnitus on employment activities and a VA examination to determine functional impairment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's tinnitus is etiologically attributable to his active service. The Board finds that the evidence of record supports a grant of service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his legal guardian withdrawing the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's service connection claims for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted. The Board finds that the Veteran had in-service noise exposure, which is presumed to have caused his current disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating, and thus denied his claim for an initial, noncompensable disability rating.

The Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, but his mumps residuals and pes planus do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as whether these conditions are related to his service. The case will be remanded for an addendum opinion from the examiner who conducted the May 2014 VA audiological examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records. The issues are whether he has service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, reopening and denial of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to May 17, 2017, and service connection for a pulmonary disorder (asbestosis).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as they are found to be related to his active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The Board found that the Veteran had in-service noise exposure and credible testimony of continuous symptoms since service, which are sufficient to establish a nexus between his current condition and service.

The Board has reopened the claim for left paravertebral muscle pull and granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability as secondary to service-connected knee disabilities. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are also found to be related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected disabilities is 90 percent, which meets the criteria for a TDIU. The Board has granted this claim.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran was found to be unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of service-connected disabilities prior to November 15, 2012.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to his military service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate opinions regarding his hearing loss, tinnitus, and traumatic brain injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo. The evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus that is related to his active duty service. The evidence shows no in-service hearing loss and no significant threshold shift in hearing, with normal audiometric results at separation from service.