Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or any current disability due to such exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a retrospective medical opinion regarding whether her service-connected disabilities rendered her unemployable from April 5, 2006 to December 31, 2007. The case will be readjudicated after obtaining this information.

The Board found that tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as the newly submitted evidence does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records from private providers and a VA examination.

The evidence does not establish that the Veteran's current hearing loss or tinnitus are related to service, including noise exposure during service. The Board finds no direct service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, dermatitis or eczema, and a low back injury under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 was denied as there is no evidence that the Veteran's low back disability was caused by VA care.

The Veteran requested withdrawal of the claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, and the Board has dismissed this issue. The hearing on appeal is limited to the issue of a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete service records and missing VA treatment records. The Veteran's claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic skin rash will be reconsidered after these records are obtained.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for residuals of right foot surgery, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The evidence did not support a finding that any current disabilities were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for further development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to assess his PTSD severity and its impact on employment.

The Veteran's eczema was not incurred in service and the Board finds that there is no link between his current skin condition and military service.

The Board found that service-connected PTSD and residuals of a shell fragment wound to the right thigh did not cause or contribute substantially to the Veteran's death from cardiovascular disabilities. The expert opinion concluded there was less than a 50% chance that these conditions caused or aggravated his fatal cardiac conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss disability and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there was no evidence of such conditions during service. The VA examination did not find a link between current symptoms and military noise exposure.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability for tinnitus and denied service connection for hearing loss. The Veteran's hearing did not meet the criteria for a hearing loss for VA purposes at separation, but there was a minimal increase in his hearing loss during service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA audiology records and a pulmonary examination to determine if his asthma was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are as likely as not attributable to military service, including exposure to loud noises during training with rifles.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted it. Service connection is also established for tinnitus, with a rating of 10 percent effective from January 2008. The claims for increased ratings for chronic rhinitis and chronic epididymitis remain denied.