Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Board has determined that the VA examinations are inadequate and additional clarification is needed regarding the Veteran's asbestos-related pleural disease. The issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been remanded due to the need for a supplemental opinion based on the Duty MOS Noise Exposure Listing.

The Veteran's combined rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is sufficient to meet the criteria for a TDIU, as these disabilities are considered one disability due to common etiology. The Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted. However, the claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing disability was denied due to lack of evidence linking the current condition to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case back to the AOJ for initial consideration of new evidence and argument submitted by the Veteran, including a VHA opinion on the cause of his claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining an examination to assess his employability and considering whether all of his service-connected disabilities render him unemployable.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU rating on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not considered to be related to service, as it pre-existed military service and did not worsen therein. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have right ear hearing loss or tinnitus that are the result of disease or injury incurred in or aggravated during active military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and an increased rating to 70 percent for PTSD. The Veteran's symptoms, including social isolation and difficulty in maintaining relationships, are considered in determining the appropriate disability ratings.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he claims are related to noise exposure during active military service. The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the current existence of these conditions and their relationship to service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions and evidence in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are all service-connected. The initial rating for GERD remains at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have PTSD due to a lack of verified in-service stressor. The VA examination did not find current bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus, and the Veteran denied experiencing these conditions during service.

The Board has decided to remand the claim for a new VA opinion on whether the Veteran's tinnitus is caused or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service connection for tinnitus is granted, as it may be secondary to his already service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's lung disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee disorder, left shoulder disorder, and diabetes mellitus, Type II were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board found no evidence of a current disability for any of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left ankle disability, right knee disability, and thumb disabilities. The VA examinations did not find a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a diagnosis within one year post-service. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's claimed conditions were not found to be related to his military service, including as due to an undiagnosed illness.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings and earlier effective dates for TDIU and Dependents' Educational Assistance were denied as the evidence did not show that he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to April 29, 2004 due solely to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, hearing loss, back disability, and right knee disability are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional service treatment records.