Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that his current diagnosis of bilateral tinnitus is related to in-service noise exposure and frequent persistent symptoms since service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing on his claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability. The tinnitus claim is inextricably intertwined with the hearing loss claim and must be considered together.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus had their onset during service, specifically combat service in Vietnam. Therefore, service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to service, and thus service connection for tinnitus is granted. The appeal of the hearing loss issue is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew her appeal prior to a decision.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for a right ear disability other than tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and tinnitus, meet the criteria for a TDIU due to their combined rating of 60 percent. The Board finds that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment as a result of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected, and his tinnitus is granted at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected schizophrenia with PTSD contributed to his death, and thus grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. As a result, the DIC claim is moot.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus can be decided. The case is being remanded to obtain a supplemental opinion from an appropriate examiner regarding whether the Veteran's current disabilities are at least as likely as not related to his military noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to his death from pneumonia and heart disease. The claim for DIC benefits is denied.

The Veteran's claims for TDIU and DEA benefits were denied as he did not meet the percentage requirements for these benefits prior to November 6, 2004.,Service connection was granted for tinnitus but this does not affect the denial of TDIU and DEA benefits.

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

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his in-service exposure to noise, and service connection for this condition is granted. The claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss must be denied by law due to the absence of a current disability. Service connection for an innocently acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety) is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is as likely as not related to his active service, and therefore grants service connection for tinnitus. The claim for hearing loss remains pending.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining additional medical records and conducting examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 20 percent rating for frostbite residuals of the right little finger has been granted. The effective date is set at December 16, 2010.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in relative equipoise regarding whether these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claim is granted as both conditions are found to be related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran has withdrawn all issues currently on appeal, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to review them.

The Veteran's service connection claim for tinnitus is granted as it meets the criteria for direct service connection due to in-service noise exposure and continuity of symptoms since service.