Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

Service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is denied.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and consideration, including a new VA examination for tinea pedis, reconsideration of the right ear hearing loss rating, and review of the effective date for dependency benefits. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and school attendance benefits are pending.

The Board has granted an effective date of March 20, 2003 for the Veteran's entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected conditions. The criteria were met as evidenced by the Veteran's inability to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment from this date onwards.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was reopened and granted, while the claims for right ear hearing loss, right knee disability, and right ear tinnitus were denied. The Veteran's service connection for a right thumb injury and right hand radiculopathy was granted.,The Veteran has been awarded ratings for her right thumb injury and right hand radiculopathy, but not for other conditions such as PTSD, hearing loss, or knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left hand third finger disability is denied as there is no current diagnosis of such condition.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus, with the opinion that it is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran meets the schedular requirement for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, and his service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied the remaining issues on appeal. Tinnitus is found to be related to active service, while no current disability or relationship to service is established for the other conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD warrants a rating of 70 percent, and he is granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for the appellant's bilateral hearing loss disability and associated tinnitus, finding an approximate balance of negative and positive evidence as to whether these conditions were caused by events during the appellant's military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to new evidence received since final decisions. The claims are being reopened as new and material evidence has been submitted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus with hallux valgus, hearing loss, tinnitus, a foot disorder, heart disorder, and hypertension has been granted. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a foot disorder, a heart disorder, and hypertension are remanded.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is now considered service-connected.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen claims for residuals of a right finger injury, right knee disability, and right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.,For DM, the Board noted there was no in-service diagnosis or incident, and the condition was diagnosed many years after separation. For hypertension, the claim was denied as secondary to DM since DM itself is not service-connected. For bilateral hearing loss, the Veteran's STRs showed normal hearing at entry and separation, and he did not report any significant noise exposure during service.,For tinnitus, the Board found no evidence of in-service onset or connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to February 3, 2010 did not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU rating. The Board has determined that there is a reasonable possibility of unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities and refers this matter to VA's Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is remanded due to his failure to appear for VA examinations related to the claim. The Board will schedule a new examination and provide notice.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his in-service acoustic trauma and has been granted service connection.,Bilateral ankle degenerative arthritis, MDD (depression), and degenerative arthritis of the spine with intervertebral disc syndrome are all found to have a relationship to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for tinnitus is denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent has been assigned. The Board finds no legal basis to grant a higher evaluation. For the compensable hearing loss, the Veteran's claim is remanded due to lack of recent VA examination.

The appeal for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is dismissed.,The appeal for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for scars, status post prostatectomy and lymph node dissection is dismissed.,The appeal for service connection for heart disease is dismissed.,The appeal for service connection for lipoma is dismissed.,Tinnitus has been granted as service connected.,Hypertension has been granted as service connected due to the PACT Act.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current tinnitus is related to his in-service exposure to hazardous noise and acoustic trauma.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, both for treatment purposes only under Title 38, Chapter 17, of the United States Code.