Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Veteran seeks service connection for low back, right and left knee disabilities, as well as bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding records and incomplete service treatment records. The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending.

The Board has determined 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 acoustic trauma or continuity of symptoms since service. The VA examination report provided a rationale for this determination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his right ankle disorder and tinnitus.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not manifest during service or within one year thereafter, and there was no evidence linking these conditions to military service. The Veteran's statements regarding noise exposure were considered but insufficient to establish a direct link between his current disabilities and active duty.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. As such, these claims are denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have had its onset in service and has persisted since, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as evidenced by normal hearing at entry and separation from service. The VA examinations and private medical opinions do not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient reasons and bases for denying service connection, particularly regarding tinnitus. A new VA examination is needed to determine if any currently-diagnosed bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is currently at 60 percent, and the Board finds no basis to grant a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus to obtain additional VA treatment records, including those from the Veteran's service in Vietnam. The claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active military service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with the left ear hearing loss being aggravated by service. The Veteran was exposed to noise in the boiler room during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to his active duty service, and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. However, the Veteran's current diagnoses do not establish a link between his military noise exposure and his current disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the appellant's appeals on all issues except for the issue of an earlier effective date for service connection for tinnitus. The claim was denied as there is no evidence showing that the Veteran raised a claim within one year of his discharge from service, and the RO did not have notice of any pertinent evidence prior to July 10, 2008.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus began during his military service and is related to noise exposure. However, there is no evidence of hearing loss in the right ear for VA purposes.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his service, as there is no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after service. The VA examiner opined that it is less likely than not that the current hearing loss and tinnitus were incurred during military service.