Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Board finds that the Veteran has left knee arthritis and tinnitus that are related to his military service. The Veteran's left knee disability is granted, while his claim for tinnitus remains denied.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he contends developed due to noise exposure during service. The case has been remanded for a new VA medical opinion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are likely due to noise exposure during his military service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for a right great toe disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and erectile dysfunction due to procedural issues.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his in-service noise exposure. The decision also resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches have been rated as 50 percent disabling since January 30, 2009.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus due to new and material evidence. The Board also granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to noise exposure in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, as evidenced by his normal hearing at separation from service. The VA audiologist opined that the current hearing loss and tinnitus are not likely caused by or a result of noise exposure in service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for referral to VA's Director of Compensation and Pension (C&P) for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU rating due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The claims for a right lower lobe nodule and squamous cell carcinoma of the throat were denied as new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is at least as likely as not incurred during his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his service, with symptoms beginning during active duty. The criteria for presumptive service connection have been met.

The Veteran's tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral hand/arm disability (claimed as due to cold injury) are found to be related to service. The acquired psychiatric disability (to include PTSD) is also found to be related to service.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied. The effective dates for the grants of service connection for these conditions remain August 31, 2010.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses from January 13, 2011 to January 17, 2011 are approved as part of his hospitalization for a nonservice-connected condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and headaches. The evidence did not show any in-service hearing loss or tinnitus, nor was there a showing of continuity of symptomatology after discharge. The VA examinations found no current disability related to service.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise on whether the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service. The claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not shown to be related to service, as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a current disability. The Board finds that the Veteran did not have bilateral hearing loss during service and does not meet the criteria for a current disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development to assess the cumulative impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability, and to determine if he meets the criteria for a TDIU rating.