Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claim for residuals of a left-hand nerve injury is remanded due to outstanding medical records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is likely related to noise exposure during active service and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as the Veteran does not have a current disability, and there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or an in-service onset.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's gastrointestinal disability. The hearing loss and tinnitus claims have been denied as there is no current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to lack of a nexus between the conditions and military noise exposure. The claims were not reopened as new evidence did not address this issue.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are denied. The effective dates for the grants of service connection for IBS and PTSD are set at August 29, 2013.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to noise exposure during active duty service. The decision is based on evidence showing the Veteran served as a nurse near flight decks where he was exposed to jet engines and rifle fire without ear protection.

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

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied, as there is no credible evidence of current tinnitus.,Service connection for PTSD was denied due to the lack of a valid diagnosis and the absence of supporting evidence linking the condition to in-service stressors.,Colon cancer was granted service connection based on exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is also considered as secondary to his colon cancer.,The Veteran's cataracts with left eye asteroid hyalosis were found not to meet the criteria for a compensable rating due to their impact on visual acuity being within normal limits.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, was granted in February 2012. The effective date of this service connection is denied as there are no formal or informal claims made prior to that time.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected due to noise exposure during his active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus as the evidence did not show it was related to in-service noise exposure, and there was no credible continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a skin disability. The claim for a skin disability was reopened due to new evidence showing a possible link to service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension is remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Board will seek a definitive opinion regarding the etiology of his hypertension, including whether it is related to Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened.,Service connection has been granted for tinnitus, but the claim for bilateral hearing loss remains pending as it was remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU. The case for service connection of residuals from a traumatic brain injury is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Veteran's depressive disorder and tinnitus were rated at 50% prior to October 24, 2017. The Board found that the symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating or TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since February 23, 2016.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is at least as likely as not related to his active service, and therefore grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, skin disability, and knee disabilities due to potential conflicts in medical opinions and lack of recent VA examinations.