Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and a need for further development of evidence. The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, including as secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, is now pending.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus disabilities for VA purposes and denied his claims for service connection. The right elbow disability claim was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU rating, as his combined disability rating is 40 percent and he can still engage in substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's headaches were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service, and they are not the result of or aggravated by a service-connected disability. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's headaches were not likely related to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by or a result of service-connected disabilities, including his left knee disability and Still's disease. The cause of death was determined to be an occipital-atlantal separation due to a motorcycle accident where the Veteran lost control of his vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

The Veteran's tinnitus is likely related to his service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The issue of entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for right ear hearing loss was withdrawn by the Veteran prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened, but the Board is remanding these issues to obtain additional evidence. The claim for a higher evaluation for bronchitis remains on appeal, as does the waiver of overpayment issue.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD based on MST, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his reported military sexual trauma.,Service connection was also established for tinnitus, with the Board concluding that noise exposure during active duty is causally linked to the condition.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities, as the original examiner did not discuss post-service noise exposure in detail.

The Board found no probative evidence that the Veteran's tinnitus is causally or etiologically related to service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding his claimed conditions and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (PTSD, Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Tinnitus, and Bilateral Hearing Loss) produced a combined disability rating of 60 percent from November 24, 2007 to March 8, 2010. However, the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability were not met during this period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 5, 2012.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active military service, and therefore denied his claims for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions had onset during service.

The Board has found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there was no evidence of current disability during or within one year after service. However, the VA examiner did not have access to all relevant records, including those from the early 1980s when the Veteran first noticed symptoms.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection, and his PTSD with depressive disorder is currently rated at 50 percent. The Board finds a remand necessary to obtain VA treatment records and provide the Veteran with a new VA psychiatric examination for his PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including respiratory disorder, bilateral feet disorder, stomach disorder, depression and anxiety, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, were denied as the evidence does not support a current disability or a link to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability within the meaning of VA regulations.