Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred during service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service and grants this claim. The appeal for tinnitus was withdrawn by the Veteran prior to a decision being made.

The VA determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, including exposure to noise. The Board found no evidence of in-service acoustic trauma or a continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the merits of the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence of in-service onset or association with active duty. The claim for Rocky Mountain spotted fever was not addressed due to the nature of the appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for a VA examination. The claim will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral tinnitus was incurred in service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected, but his tinnitus and PTSD claims are denied. The initial rating for PTSD remains at 30 percent.

The Board found that the appellant did not have a diagnosed mental condition, including PTSD. The claims for sexual dysfunction and gastrointestinal conditions were denied as there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or relationship to service. The claim for acid reflux was also denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service. The back condition and tinnitus claims were similarly denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service and have denied all of his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the evidence supports the Veteran's testimony that his tinnitus began in service and has continued since.

The Board has remanded the case due to a discrepancy in the Veteran's statements regarding tinnitus and his February 2005 VA examination. The Veteran needs another examination at a more convenient location with an examiner competent to render a medical diagnosis.

The Board found that the May 1979 rating decision, which denied service connection for tinnitus, did not involve clear and unmistakable error. Therefore, an earlier effective date is not assignable for the grant of service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of reopening his service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that no new and material evidence was received since the last final denial in May 1998.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the appellant's tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining Army Reserve service records and scheduling a VA audiological examination.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C, tendonitis, hypertension, and tinnitus. The Veteran's claims of PTSD based on in-service personal assault were not substantiated.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence supports granting service connection for tinnitus, as the Veteran consistently reported experiencing it immediately following his in-service cervical spine injury and currently experiences disability due to tinnitus.

The Board has determined that there is no competent and credible evidence attributing the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and right ear drum perforation to his military service. Therefore, these claims for service connection have been denied.