Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete records regarding the Veteran's National Guard service. A new VA examination is required to assess whether exposure to acoustic trauma occurred during active duty.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus for further examination and opinion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to April 28, 2015 for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus on grounds other than CUE. The claim related to allegations of CUE in the February 1980 rating decision is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the initial disability rating of PTSD with depression due to unclear attribution of symptoms. The service connection claim for tinnitus remains denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be at least as likely due to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, and thus service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of carpal tunnel syndrome of the left wrist.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military noise exposure.,The application to reopen the claims for service connection for lumbar spine disability and left knee disability is granted, with evidence showing a relationship between these disabilities and the Veteran's in-service back pain.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the case for further development regarding bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his service, including any noise exposure during ACDUTRA.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for thyroid cancer and denied his claims for service connection for left ear disorder, low back disorder, prostate disorder, and urinary frequency.,Service connection was not granted for any of the conditions due to lack of evidence linking them to active duty service.

The appeal of bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. Tinnitus service connection is granted, and the issue of acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are presumed to have been incurred in service due to continuous symptoms since separation.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus on a presumptive basis due to continuous symptoms since service separation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The claims for service connection for bilateral neuropathy of the upper extremities, a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, and TDIU have been remanded.

The Board has found that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are not related to service, leading to a denial of these claims. The Board has also determined that further examination is needed for the claim of bilateral hearing loss due to exposure to acoustic trauma in service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were submitted in December 2015, but the AOJ must attempt to locate and transfer any earlier VA treatment records from July 2013 to June 2014. The case is remanded due to incomplete evidence.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD were granted with effective dates of August 12, 2008. The Board found no legal basis to grant earlier effective dates.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran did not have a current disability.,Service connection was granted for traumatic brain injury and associated cervicogenic muscle contraction headaches with an effective date of June 16, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for tinnitus was reopened and granted. The claim for a skin disorder, presumed to be due to herbicide exposure, was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence or aggravation.,Specifically, the VA examiner found the audiometric test results unreliable and suspected malingering. The Veteran’s STRs did not show any complaints or diagnoses related to hearing loss or tinnitus during service.