Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 30 percent, the maximum schedular rating available. The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at 10 percent.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that it was incurred due to noise exposure during his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of a nexus between current disabilities and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that tinnitus, injuries to Cranial Nerves II, III, and X, and hypertension were not incurred in or aggravated by active service. Hyperthyroidism was not shown to be related to a service-connected disability or due to VA medical treatment. Atrial fibrillation was also not shown to be related to a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete verification of the Veteran's periods of active duty training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty training (INACDUTRA) in the Air Force Reserve, which is necessary to determine if hearing loss or tinnitus were incurred during qualifying service.

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

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of medical expenses incurred at a private hospital in Kentucky due to a motorcycle accident is granted, as the treatment was necessary and VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have begun during his active service and has continued since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The claims of service connection for low back and left knee disabilities have been reopened, but the evidence is insufficient to make a decision on the merits at this time.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was received on June 21, 2007. The Board found that it is not factually ascertainable during the year prior to June 21, 2007, that the Veteran was unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service, but his bilateral hearing loss is not. The decision grants service connection for tinnitus and denies service connection for hearing loss.

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise and grants service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The appellant is seeking a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities, but the RO has not treated these conditions as arising from a single incident. The appeal is remanded to consider whether he is unemployable due to service-connected disability alone and to obtain SSA records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated in active military service.

The Veteran's hypertension is not rated as compensable.,There is no evidence of a current right knee disability.,There is no evidence of a current right shoulder disability.,There is no evidence of a current right lung disability.,There is no evidence of a current cervical spine disability.,There is no evidence of a current thoracic spine disability.,The Veteran's hearing loss does not meet the criteria for service connection.,There is no evidence of residuals of burst left ear drum other than hearing loss.,PTSD was not incurred in or aggravated by service.,Tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by service.,A missing partial spinal cord and congenital tethered cord syndrome were not incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus did not have their origin during his period of active military service. The VA audiologist's opinion was based on a full review of the claims file, including service medical records and VA examination reports. Therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss and chronic tinnitus is denied.

The Board has determined that the appellant's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, with a finding of current disability and in-service noise exposure. The claim for service connection is granted.