Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence, including records from his treatment at Barnes Hospital in 1972.

The Veteran does not have hearing loss or tinnitus that was caused or aggravated by his service. His claims for service connection are denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are attributable to service, warranting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. After reviewing all evidence, including VA and private medical records, the Board finds that there is sufficient evidence to establish a link between the Veteran's current hearing loss and his military service. The Veteran served in an active duty role as a medical specialist and legal clerk, which may have exposed him to noise during his time in the Army. However, the evidence does not show any specific incidents of acoustic trauma or treatment for hearing issues during service. As such, the Board concludes that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and referring the case to the Chief Benefits Director of VA's Compensation and Pension Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a current hearing loss disability and tinnitus, and thus denied service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral tinnitus is denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10% has already been assigned.

The Board found that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are not causally related to his active service, as there is no evidence of such conditions during or immediately following service. The Board also noted that the Veteran did not raise a claim for these disabilities until many years after separation from service.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by active service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for tinnitus and granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but denied reopening of the previously denied claim of service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be due to noise exposure during active duty.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his service, including noise exposure. The preponderance of evidence is against these claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, vision disability, left knee and right knee disabilities, left foot condition, right foot condition, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and a psychiatric disorder claimed initially as catatonic schizophrenia. The decision also noted that the Veteran withdrew his claim for service connection for a vision disability.

The Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during her military service and has continued since then. The Board finds it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's tinnitus is attributable to her active military service.

The Veteran's residuals of an inguinal hernia repair are not shown to be manifested by recurrent or bilateral involvement, and his tinnitus is service-connected. The claim for a compensable rating for the inguinal hernia was granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it is related to military noise exposure. The claim for recurrent skin rashes of the face and inner thighs, claimed as secondary to Agent Orange exposure, remains pending.

The Board has determined that there is no current right ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes and the Veteran's tinnitus did not develop due to service. Therefore, both claims are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for examinations to determine if his current conditions are related to service.