Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Veteran does not have tinnitus, a bilateral knee disability, colon polyps, hypertension, PTSD, or diabetic peripheral neuropathy that is related to active service.,There is no evidence of any diagnosed disabilities in the claims file and no medical opinion linking these conditions to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, as there is no evidence of in-service hearing loss or tinnitus. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred during military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is being remanded due to inconsistencies in audiometric testing results, the need for additional VA audiological examination, and possible SSA disability records.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for a comprehensive evaluation of the functional effects of his service-connected disabilities on employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's tinnitus was first manifested during active service and has persisted chronically since. The Board finds the Veteran's report of in-service acoustic trauma credible, and concludes that his current tinnitus is related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are related to his military service, resolving doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, especially PTSD with major depressive disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and degenerative changes of the lumbosacral spine, preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that TDIU is warranted.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be the result of injury incurred in service, specifically due to noise exposure during combat.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was found to have been aggravated by noise exposure during service, and the claim for service connection is granted. The issue of tinnitus as secondary to hearing loss remains pending.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the inextricability of the pending increased rating and service connection claims. The RO/AMC will adjudicate these claims before considering the TDIU claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when considered alone and in combination with his non-service connected conditions, do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service. His hypertension is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.,His burn scar of the right thigh is manifested by pain on examination, warranting a 10% rating effective October 23, 2008. He has radiculopathy of the left lower extremity with mild incomplete paralysis and associated symptoms. His coronary artery disease is stable but not productive of specific complications.,The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding TDIU.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for tinnitus and granted a 30 percent rating for major depressive disorder. The left knee disability is rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus began during his military service and continues to this day, finding credible his reports of noise exposure in service. The medical evidence supports a link between service and the current condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine his eligibility for specially adapted housing.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection, while the initial rating claims for supraventricular tachycardia with arrhythmia and sinusitis were not addressed in this decision.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service, and therefore grants the claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus and chronic mastoiditis were not noted on entrance into military service. The Board finds that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate VA examination and medical opinion regarding the pre-existence of these conditions and their relationship to service.