Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded them due to a need for additional medical examination.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as whether they are related to service. The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the claims of entitlement to service connection for an acquired anxiety disorder, residuals of frostbite of the upper extremities, and residuals of frostbite of the lower extremities during a hearing before the Board.,VA denied the Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence showing that he had hearing loss within one year after separation from active service.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, left thigh disability, skin cancer, and left knee disability are granted. The claim for service connection for left ankle disability is denied. Service connection for right ankle disability and left arm scar is also granted. An initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's diagnosed right ear hearing loss had its onset in service or is otherwise etiologically related to his active service. The decision does not address tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for tinnitus has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew his request for a Board hearing and did not allege any specific error of fact or law in the determination.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as secondary to the Veteran's hearing loss. The evidence is at least in equipoise that the Veteran's hearing loss was caused by exposure to acoustic trauma during service, and his tinnitus is a symptom of his hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to her military service. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there was no evidence of a nexus between in-service noise exposure and current hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal of his claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected tinnitus has been withdrawn.,The RO is directed to obtain updated VA treatment records and SSA records, as well as any missing service treatment records from the David Grant Medical Center and NPRC.,VA should request that the Veteran submit any outstanding evidence regarding his claimed in-service exposure to dead bodies and race riots at Travis Air Force Base. The RO should also request a Statement in Support of Claim for PTSD Secondary to Personal Assault, and provide adequate notice as to such claim.,The RO should afford the Veteran new VA examinations for his acquired psychiatric disorders (PTSD, depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder), TBI, migraine headaches, TMJ, cervical spine disabilities, lumbar spine disability, right upper extremity disability, and right lower extremity disability. Adequate etiological opinions are needed.,The RO should afford the Veteran VA examinations for his cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as a new VA examination for his right upper extremity disability (right shoulder and arm pain and numbness, right hand disability).,The RO should afford the Veteran VA examinations for his right lower extremity disability. Adequate etiological opinions are needed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the current disabilities were not incurred in or related to active military service. Service connection was granted for PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service due to noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure. Service connection was denied for left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a right fourth (ring) finger condition, headache disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The claims have been remanded to obtain additional medical evidence.

The Board has denied service connection for the Veteran's right ankle condition and remanded the claim for tinnitus. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the current disability and active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination opinions and the need for an addendum opinion addressing the Veteran's hearing loss claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating for compensation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for tinnitus has been granted. The initial rating for major depressive disorder remains denied. The effective date for service connection of major depressive disorder is not earlier than April 15, 2016.,Remaining claims for service connection are pending and need further development.