Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The claim to reopen a back disability was also denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the appellant's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss, major depressive disorder, and tinnitus) render him unable to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss and chronic tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by his period of active military service, nor can they be presumed to have been so incurred. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. The Board also found no nexus between the claimed conditions and service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he attributes to noise exposure during his naval service. The appeal is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have right ear hearing loss or tinnitus that is attributable to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and an initial noncompensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's tinnitus is attributable to service, while his hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of tinnitus, finding that no basis existed to assign such a date based on his original claim filed in February 2006.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not meet the threshold eligibility requirements for VA compensation benefits due to a lack of verified active military, naval, or air service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, sensorineural hearing loss, traumatic amputation of the right thumb, hypertension, and tinnitus, are found to be sufficient for a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete service records and missing ear surgery records.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure. Service connection was denied for PTSD due to lack of credible supporting evidence for the claimed stressors.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a right foot injury, tinnitus, hypertension, carpal tunnel syndrome, cervical spine disability, and bilateral hearing loss as there is no evidence of an in-service disease or injury that could be linked to these conditions.

The Board finds the evidence to be in relative equipoise, and service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as likely due to exposure to loud noise during service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and scheduling an audiological examination to determine if the Veteran's tinnitus is related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining records from 'L&I' and Western State Mental Hospital.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected as it was present within one year of separation from active duty and is related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and coronary artery disease (CAD) as the appellant did not serve in the Republic of Vietnam during active military duty. The claims were also denied on a secondary basis due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not develop as a result of his military service, and thus denied both claims.