Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including a VA audio examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has found that the veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and may not be presumed to have been so incurred or aggravated. The issue of entitlement to secondary service connection for bilateral tinnitus due to service-connected hearing loss is remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between current hearing loss or tinnitus and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and Tinnitus, but granted service connection for a right lower extremity disability (including right ankle and right leg conditions).,Service connection was established for tinnitus due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted, while his claim for Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is denied due to lack of in-service exposure.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to properly assess the veteran's current hearing acuity and determine whether any current hearing loss or tinnitus was incurred in or aggravated by his active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for TMJ disorder and denied separate ratings for bilateral tinnitus as the maximum schedular rating is already assigned.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and found the veteran's testimony regarding his exposure to noise during military service, combined with a private audiologist's opinion, sufficient evidence to grant this claim. The initial rating for bilateral hearing loss remains pending.

The veteran's cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, bilateral eye conditions (including cataracts and glaucoma), blurred vision of the left eye, concussion, peripheral vestibular disorder, tinnitus, and depression are not related to his military service. The veteran does not have any service-connected disabilities that would allow him to be granted a TDIU.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not due to disease or injury incurred in service, nor may they be presumed to have been incurred in service. The preponderance of evidence is against granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is currently rated at the maximum of 10 percent, and no higher rating is warranted as there is no legal basis for separate evaluations for each ear.

The Board finds that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or chronic symptoms during service. The gap between separation from service and the first documented manifestations of hearing impairment preponderates against a finding of service connection.

The VA determined that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not caused by VA negligence or carelessness, and thus denied his claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not attributable to his active service, including noise exposure during military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, with the latter being related to military noise exposure. The increase in severity of his hearing loss during active duty was found to be due to aggravation rather than natural progression.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for depression and an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence linking his current conditions to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board found that the veteran's tinnitus and hearing loss were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there was no medical evidence showing these conditions during his active duty. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and denied higher initial ratings for right ear disability, tinea versicolor, and anxiety state. The veteran's left eye condition was not granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current disabilities of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, residuals of a right hand crush injury, or low back disorder for which service connection can be granted. The claims are therefore denied.