Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to service and granted service connection. For bilateral hearing loss, the Board determined there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure leading to current disability within one year post-service, thus denying service connection on a direct basis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's incisional hernia, surgically resolved with scar, was incurred during a period of active duty service. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus require additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and conducting a new VA examination. The case will be remanded to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is found to be caused by his service-connected impaired sphincter control, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and hemorrhoids. The Board grants service connection for depression as secondary to these conditions.

The Board has granted a TDIU from February 2011, finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment at that time.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and otitis externa were denied. The maximum schedular rating of 10 percent is assigned for each condition.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has not been manifested by hearing acuity worse than Level IV in the right ear and worse than Level II in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable (0%) disability rating. The Board denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has not been able to obtain all service treatment records, especially those from the Veteran's active duty for training (ACDUTRA) period. The case is REMANDED for further development.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and back disability. This includes obtaining additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, reopening the claim and finding that it was incurred in service. The other claims remain pending as additional development is needed.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is related to service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable throughout the period under consideration, and a TDIU rating is granted.

The Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, which include PTSD, back and neck conditions. The Board grants the TDIU.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to service exposure to loud noise from gunfire during military police training.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant, and no jurisdiction remains for the remaining issues.

The Board found no evidence to support service connection for bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus, as the current conditions are not causally related to military service. The Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were deemed inconsistent with other medical records.

The Veteran has a current diagnosis of tinnitus and there is evidence that he first noticed it during active service. The significant threshold shifts in his hearing tests during service support the finding that tinnitus occurred during service. Therefore, service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, with the evidence being in relative equipoise as to whether these conditions were caused by noise exposure during service. As a result, both conditions have been granted service connection.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current tinnitus is related to his in-service exposure to significant acoustic trauma, and grants service connection for tinnitus.