Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of right ear hearing loss and therefore denied service connection for this condition. The claims for left ear hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus are remanded due to conflicting opinions from VA examiners.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss claim is denied as he does not have current hearing loss. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus claims are granted as they are etiologically related to service.

The Veteran's appeal regarding his bilateral hearing loss claim is dismissed. His tinnitus claim is granted, and the Board has remanded other issues including service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bowel impairment disorder, left leg sciatica, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and right leg sciatica.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,An initial rating of 70 percent for PTSD is granted from April 30, 2012 (contingent upon the reevaluation of the rating assigned for the Veteran’s service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI) residuals).

The Veteran's tinnitus is not related to service.,His right eye disorder and left eye disorder were not related to service.,His cervical spine disorder was not related to service.,Neurological disorders of the upper and lower extremities are not related to service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted. Bilateral hearing loss is established under continuity of symptomology, while tinnitus is found to be secondary to the service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for broken toes of the right foot, a right foot disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and sleep apnea due to the unavailability of the Veteran's service treatment records. The Veteran is required to be provided with VA examinations to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression), and erectile dysfunction as secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection and a 30 percent rating for chronic mixed-feature headaches is granted. The issue of TDIU has been remanded.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, as his lay statements regarding exposure to aircraft engine noise and jet fuel were not considered in the previous opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including back pain, neck pain, bilateral ankle and lower leg pain, bilateral knee pain, shin splints, hearing loss, tinnitus, respiratory condition (to include asthma), and skin condition (to include eczema and dermatitis). The claims are being remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding hearing loss, increased ratings for tinnitus, otitis externa, and hemorrhoids. The Veteran was granted service connection for a right shoulder disorder.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for a low back disability, tinnitus, and tension headaches have been granted. The claim for service connection for the low back injury is reopened due to new evidence provided since the last denial in 2012. Service connection has also been established for tinnitus and tension headaches.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, tinnitus, and a respiratory disorder (claimed as asbestosis) is partially granted. The claims of service connection for fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), chronic headaches, sleep apnea, and psychiatric disorders are all remanded.

The Veteran's application to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied.,Service connection for unspecified anxiety disorder and migraine headaches is granted.

The Veteran's low back disability is not service connected as it was not incurred or aggravated by service.,The right ankle calcaneal spurs are not service connected as they were not caused by the in-service injury and there is no evidence of continuity of symptomatology since service.,Tinnitus is service connected as it first manifested during active service and is related to noise exposure in service.,Obstructive sleep apnea is service connected as it was incurred during active service due to exposure to smoke, fumes, and exhaust while in service.,The left leg disability is not service connected as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or chronicity since service.,The right leg disability is not service connected as the primary condition (right ankle calcaneal spurs) is not service connected.

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

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have originated during service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition. Service connection for hyperlipidemia is denied as it does not constitute a disability warranting compensation. The issues of bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction, sleep apnea, hypertension, sinusitis, and pulmonary fibrosis are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are related to his in-service noise exposure, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.