Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2000

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not well grounded, as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to active service or a service-connected disability.

The veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied. The RO granted service connection and assigned noncompensable evaluations to all disabilities except right ankle arthritis and residual of fracture of the right fibula, which was rated at 20 percent effective December 1, 1998.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left shoulder injury residuals, and back strain are not well-grounded because there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board found that the veteran's tinnitus was incurred in service and granted service connection. The claim of entitlement to service connection for allergic rhinitis is well grounded, as it is related to pre-existing conditions aggravated by sinusitis. Service connection for sinusitis is granted at a 10 percent disability rating.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus were not well-grounded, as there was no competent medical evidence linking his current disabilities to his military service or any exposure therein.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for tinnitus and arthritis of the knees, finding that new evidence submitted since the last denial is both new and material. The claims are well grounded.

The veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings are not well grounded, and the criteria for a higher rating than 10 percent have not been met.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for chronic low back disability and tinnitus as they are not well-grounded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, defective vision, and impaired balance are not well-grounded as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a link to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and left ear tinnitus, but denied the claims of service connection for residuals of malaria and right eyebrow and left forearm shell fragment wounds.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that both conditions are as likely as not attributable to the veteran's prolonged noise exposure during his military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus are all granted. The evidence is at least in equipoise with respect to whether the conditions originated during service.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings for his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded to the RO due to the submission of new evidence, which must be considered before a final decision can be made.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of service connection for hepatitis with secondary respiratory disorder, hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral knee disorder, and eye disorder are not well grounded. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or a link between these conditions and service.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection for left shoulder disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are not well grounded. The evidence does not support a finding of service origin for these conditions.

The veteran's claims for higher disability ratings for tinnitus and varicose veins were granted, with the highest schedular rating of 10 percent assigned. The revised rating criteria applied to both conditions.

The veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied because there was no medical evidence showing a link between his current tinnitus and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for neurodermatitis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The appeals regarding evaluations in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were dismissed due to withdrawal by the veteran.

The Board denied restoration of the 60 percent disability rating for the service-connected lumbosacral spine disability, denied an increased evaluation for bilateral tinnitus, and denied a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, PTSD, chronic sinusitis with headaches, residuals of a cyst on the forehead, recurrent strain/sprain of L5, and residuals of a right ankle sprain. The remaining claims are pending as they have not yet been issued a Statement of the Case.