Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2002

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral shin splints and tinnitus, finding that the conditions began during active service.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service and denied all claims for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for vocational rehabilitation benefits as he does not have a serious employment handicap due to his service-connected disabilities and has overcome the effects of those disabilities through suitable employment.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding no evidence of its presence and concluding that it was not incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cholecystectomy, tinnitus, anemia, low blood pressure, and visual problems. The evidence does not support a causal relationship between these conditions and her military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) for the period before July 23, 1998 due to lack of evidence showing he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and the reopening of a claim for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and a pulmonary disease, to include emphysema or COPD, as secondary to his service-connected sinusitis. The Board found that there was no evidence of tinnitus in service and that the veteran's current condition is not related to his service-connected sinusitis.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are related to his active service, specifically his combat exposure in Vietnam. The claim is granted.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed disabilities, including residuals of head injury with tinnitus, migraines, depression, and memory loss, were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The veteran's PTSD results in significant occupational and social impairment, warranting a 70 percent evaluation. Right ear hearing loss is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to service. Left ear tinnitus is secondary to the service-connected left ear hearing impairment.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not engage in combat and there is no credible supporting evidence of an inservice stressor for PTSD. The tinnitus was not shown to be related to service or noise exposure therein.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence did not support his contention of more severe disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no competent medical evidence establishing a causal relationship between these conditions and his active service.

The Board found that the evidence does not establish a link between the veteran's tinnitus and his active service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the appellant's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active duty for training, resulting in a grant of service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and a thoracic spine disorder, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not caused by service-connected conditions, and therefore denied both his claim for service connection for the cause of death and his eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance under Chapter 35. The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's heart disease to any incident or condition during active military service.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection of hearing loss and tinnitus were not granted, as there is no evidence to support a relationship between these conditions and his active military service.

The Board has granted a 40 percent disability evaluation for the period from June 13, 1994 to April 23, 2001 and a 50 percent disability evaluation for the period beginning on April 25, 2001. The appellant is also entitled to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.