Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2001

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not related to his service, and denied both claims.

The Board has denied the veteran's appeal regarding the initial noncompensable rating for hypertension and the denial of service connection for sinusitis, allergies, and tinnitus.

The veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was received by the RO on January 23, 1998. The first clinical documentation of tinnitus was in March 29, 1998. Therefore, the effective date for the award of service connection is set to March 29, 1998.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to changes in the law brought about by the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and acrocyanosis of the hands and feet. The veteran's initial evaluations have been assigned as follows: 10 percent for tinnitus, noncompensable for bilateral hearing loss, and 10 percent for acrocyanosis of the hands and feet.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death was not related to any service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The veteran's increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and otitis media with perforation and scars of the eardrums have been granted. The evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is now at 60 percent effective June 10, 2001.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have a right knee disorder, hearing loss, or tinnitus that is related to his military service.,There are no references to these conditions in the service medical records.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and residuals of septorhinoplasty are not service-connected under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating of his bilateral hearing loss was granted, and the effective date for service connection of tinnitus was changed from December 21, 1999 to April 2, 1998.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, and thus denied these claims. The right ear hearing loss is currently rated as Level II.

The veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was received by the RO on June 16, 1971. The effective date of service connection is set at this time.

The Board denied service connection for prostatitis, low back disability, and tinnitus in the left ear. The claim for an increased rating for residuals of a left varicocelectomy was also denied.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral defective hearing was granted, but his claims for increased ratings for tinnitus and TDIU were denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not warrant an evaluation in excess of the currently assigned ratings.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD and denied his claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus. The decision also reopened his previously denied claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 10% evaluation for tinnitus, finding that no statutory or regulatory authority existed for such a date prior to December 1, 1993.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss with tinnitus, finding that his current conditions were not incurred in or aggravated during his military service.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, frostbite residuals, and tinnitus, are found to preclude substantially gainful employment. The Board grants a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.