Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as he is able to perform a sedentary job in a quiet location with face-to-face contact.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including an opinion from a VA examiner regarding whether hearing loss and tinnitus played any role in causing or contributing to the cause of death, including whether symptoms of imbalance and vertigo were related to service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus effective September 21, 2004. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and hiatal hernia with GERD are currently rated at 30 percent each.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show a compensable level of disability at any point since October 2007. For his tinnitus claim, the case is remanded to obtain a new VA examination to determine if objective or 'clicking' tinnitus is related to service.

The Board has granted an effective date of February 9, 2004 for the award of service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's original claim encompassed both hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board found no evidence of tinnitus in service or within one year after separation, and concluded that the Veteran's current tinnitus is not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and low back disability are related to his service, with the tinnitus likely due to acoustic trauma during combat in Vietnam and the low back disability linked to an incident involving a drop from a helicopter. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral foot condition, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The claims were reopened based on new evidence but the conditions were not found to be related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for bilateral tinnitus has been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of the case.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for tinnitus must be denied as there is no legal basis upon which to award a higher rating. The Veteran's last VA examination for hearing loss was in January 2007, and he has requested a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus, prostate problems, and bilateral hearing loss were denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current prostate disability and that his hearing loss was not manifested during service or within one year thereafter.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical opinions and records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, including exposure to noise during military training and duties.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, thus denying his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service acoustic trauma, resulting in a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a video conference hearing. The claims of right ear hearing loss and tinnitus remain on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active service, as there is no evidence of such conditions during or immediately following service. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he attributes to noise exposure during his military service. The claims are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran has sufficient hearing loss to be considered an actual disability by VA standards and whether his current hearing loss and tinnitus are attributable to acoustic trauma during or coincident with his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU and are not shown to be unable to obtain and retain substantially gainful employment due solely to service-connected disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss was not caused by his military service and denied his claim for service connection. The decision also noted that there is no indication of tinnitus in the Veteran's service records, leading to a denial on this issue as well.