Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service, but has granted service connection for tinnitus as it is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for tinnitus and erectile dysfunction are both denied.,New evidence received since the final March 2015 Board decision does not raise reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims for diabetes or asthma, thus denying reopening of these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, bladder cancer, heart disability, and CVA have been denied. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's in-service exposure or service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The mood disorder is rated at 50% since November 29, 2010. Hepatitis C and gallstones/cirrhosis of the liver are each rated at 100% effective July 1, 2016. Diabetes mellitus remains at 20%. Erectile dysfunction continues to be noncompensable. The Veteran's claim for TDIU is denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The case is being remanded to allow for further examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for hearing loss and tinnitus have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as a chronic disease under the presumptive provisions. The Board found that his tinnitus manifested within one year of his discharge from service and is not attributable to intercurrent causes. For the left leg disability, more information is needed to allow the Board to make a fully-informed decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, diabetic retinopathy, diabetes mellitus type 2, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and tinnitus, rendered him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment from January 5, 2011, to May 2, 2018.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as the VA examiner's opinions were inadequate. The new examination must address whether the Veteran's conditions are related to service, specifically noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied in an August 2004 rating decision. The claim for right shoulder arthritis was reopened, but the issue remains remanded due to a lack of VA employee treatment records from 1983-1984.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new evidence received since the March 2003 rating decisions. However, these claims are still remanded as additional development is needed to determine if there is a relationship between the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus and his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. Service connection for hyperlipidemia, hypertension, left shoulder disability, neck disability, and foot disability is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss due to outstanding treatment records and a need for additional VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding whether these conditions are related to military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for foreign body in left eye has been reopened and granted. Service connection is also granted for tinnitus, but the hearing loss claim remains denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including right knee disability, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and psychiatric disorders. The appeals are currently pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and heart disability. The reasons included that the pre-existing conditions did not worsen during service, there was no current diagnosis of a hearing loss disability or heart disability, and the Veteran's assertions were not supported by medical evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence, specifically the Veteran's testimony regarding his symptoms and treatment post-service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's current tinnitus began during service. The decision also notes that there is no clear and convincing evidence to the contrary of the Veteran's reports of continuous tinnitus in the years since service.