Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2001

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to tinnitus and a rating in accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 3.324, as well as other procedural matters.

The Board has granted an effective date of July 13, 1998 for the award of service connection for tinnitus.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of these conditions during his military service or within one year after discharge. The Board also found that there was insufficient medical evidence to link any current hearing loss or tinnitus to his military service.

The veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection, and his hypertension and sinusitis were denied increased ratings. The case is remanded for further examination of the right and left knee disabilities.

The Board has granted a separate 10% evaluation for tinnitus as of June 10, 1999. The claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeal due to a lack of timely filing of a substantive appeal for issues related to service connection.

The veteran's migraine headaches and tinnitus are rated at the maximum schedular evaluations, but his service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, effective March 15, 1993. The RO is instructed to determine the appropriate earlier effective dates.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for tinnitus, bronchial asthma, headaches, peptic ulcer disease with duodenitis, and a skin condition of both hands. The decision also noted that no issues regarding service connection were currently before the Board.

The Board has granted service connection for traumatic arthritis of the left knee and increased the disability evaluation for neurovascular disturbances of the feet with history of exposure to 10 percent. The veteran's hypertension is rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral defective hearing, tinnitus, and a chronic skin rash as they were not well-grounded.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is not at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board has denied all claims for increased ratings as the evidence does not support a compensable rating for any of the conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and awarded a 10% disability rating for the veteran's head scar, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the tinnitus is related to service. The head scar is rated at 10% based on moderate disfigurement.

The veteran's PTSD is currently evaluated at 30 percent, which the Board finds insufficient to warrant a higher evaluation.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus, citing lack of evidence to support his assertion that his current condition is related to his military service.

The veteran's hypertension, asthma, and tinnitus are all found to be related to his service-connected conditions. The veteran's PTSD is allowed for rating purposes.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral tinnitus should have an effective date of December 29, 1970. The issue of entitlement to a compensable rating for defective hearing remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied. The RO found no current evidence of the claimed disabilities.