Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus originated during his active service, and thus granted service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is as likely the result of his noise exposure in service or associated with his service-connected noise-induced hearing loss, and thus grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service, and the Veteran's current complaints are not related to his military service. The appeals for service connection were denied.

The Board has determined that the appellant's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are likely attributable to his period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) in March 1953, leading to a grant of service connection.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and tinnitus are remanded due to the need to verify stressor events, obtain missing reserve component records, and provide the Veteran with VA examinations to determine the etiology of his conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and cervical disc disease with radiculopathy. The Veteran's claims for a right knee disability and neck disability are not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for various issues, including service connection for bilateral hearing loss and cervical spine disability, increased ratings for lumbar spine disability, and initial ratings for tinnitus and cervicogenic headaches. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 10 percent prior to April 4, 2009, and 20 percent since then.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that no unadjudicated claims existed prior to his February 27, 2006 claim. The effective date assigned was February 27, 2006.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is incurred during his active military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine conditions, arteriosclerotic heart disease, hearing loss, dacrycocystitis, and other conditions, are of such severity that they preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be incurred in service and the back disorder is related to service. The Board granted service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain VA treatment records and a new VA examination for tinnitus. The Veteran will be provided another opportunity to submit any relevant medical evidence, including the results of his private hearing test.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition during service or within the applicable presumptive period. The Board also found that the current findings were not related to in-service noise exposure.

The VA has determined that the current 10 percent rating for tinnitus of the right ear is appropriate and that an evaluation in excess of this maximum schedular rating is not warranted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new and material evidence has been submitted. The Board then determined that both conditions are likely related to his period of active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current tinnitus was not caused or permanently aggravated by his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, or any other incident of service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, hearing loss, and tinnitus are being remanded to obtain additional medical records and provide the Veteran with appropriate VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is denied as there was no pending claim prior to October 19, 2004.

The Board found that the appellant'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 a chronic disability present at separation from service. The VA examiners concluded that the appellant's hearing loss and tinnitus were more likely due to civilian noise exposure over forty years after service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have diagnosed arthritis of the right shoulder, and his claims for bilateral defective hearing and tinnitus are denied as there is no current disability.