Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Board found no evidence of tinnitus during service or for many years after service, and concluded that the Veteran's current tinnitus is not related to his military noise exposure. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current hearing loss or tinnitus disabilities, and thus cannot establish service connection for these conditions. The claim for a bilateral foot disorder is remanded as there are insufficient medical records to determine if it is related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus began in service and has persisted. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service. The claims for right elbow disorder and bilateral hearing loss are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's tinnitus and left ear hearing loss have been rated at the maximum allowed under VA regulations, so no higher rating can be granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus and hearing loss in the left ear are found to be related to his service, with reasonable doubt resolved in his favor. The right knee disability is not currently shown as a separate condition from the left knee disability or back disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to determine his employability due to service-connected disabilities, and the case will be returned to the Board after review.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral defective hearing and tinnitus were denied because there is no evidence of current disabilities or a nexus between the claimed conditions and service. The claim for a low back disability was not adjudicated as it pertains to a different issue than the ones addressed in this decision.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in service, as there was no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during his military service. The VA examiner concluded that it is most likely that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus resulted from post-military aging and/or post-military noise exposure.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus and finds that new evidence received since the final denial in March 2008 raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claim. The Board also finds that the Veteran experienced tinnitus coincident with his combat service, which he is competent to state began during service and has continued to the present.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, as there is no evidence of in-service acoustic trauma or current disability. The Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are more likely due to occupational noise exposure after service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus was denied as he failed to report for a required VA examination and there is no medical evidence establishing an in-service injury or disease that could be linked to the current condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The evidence now shows that the Veteran experienced noise exposure during his military service, which is considered a direct link to his current conditions of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated income information and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to appear for a Travel Board Hearing scheduled on January 13, 2014. He was notified of the hearing at an incorrect address.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance/housebound benefits was denied as he does not meet the criteria for such benefits due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of his exposure history.

The Veteran's tinnitus was not present in service and is not related to service. The Board finds the VA examiner's opinion of significantly greater weight than the Veteran's lay assertion as to the etiology of his tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional service treatment records from the Veteran's National Guard service and outstanding relevant medical records. The claims will be reconsidered after these records are obtained.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and right knee disability and his military service. The Veteran did not experience significant shifts in hearing thresholds during service, and his post-service noise exposure was minimal.