Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2004

The Board has determined that the veteran's current ringing in his ears is not related to his military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and assigned an effective date of June 22, 2000. The veteran's original claim to reopen service connection for PTSD was received on February 16, 1988.

The veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is being remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased disability rating for bilateral tinnitus, finding that a 10 percent evaluation is the maximum schedular rating provided in VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities (Rating Schedule).

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for service-connected tinnitus, finding that a single 10 percent rating is the maximum available under current regulations.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for tinnitus, finding that a single 10 percent evaluation is appropriate as per current VA regulations.

The Board denied the veteran's request for separate 10 percent disability ratings for each ear under the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 4.87, Diagnostic Code 6260 (2003) for service-connected bilateral tinnitus, finding that neither the old nor the new regulations referred to the evaluation of tinnitus were more favorable to the veteran.

The VA has determined that the appellant's service-connected bilateral tinnitus warrants a maximum 10 percent evaluation, and no higher. The Board found no basis to grant a separate evaluation for each ear.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus disability is rated at 10 percent, and no separate ratings for each ear are warranted as per VA regulations.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for separate compensable evaluations for tinnitus in each ear, finding that only a single 10 percent evaluation is assignable under current and prior versions of Diagnostic Code 6260.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a separate 10 percent evaluation for bilateral tinnitus, finding that the disability picture did not warrant an increase in rating under the applicable VA regulations.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for bilateral tinnitus, to include separate evaluations for each ear, was denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent is already assigned.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected bilateral tinnitus, finding that a single 10 percent rating is appropriate under Diagnostic Code 6260.

The Board denied the veteran's request for separate 10 percent evaluations for each ear due to tinnitus, finding that a single rating is appropriate under current regulations.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for service-connected tinnitus, finding that a single 10 percent rating is the maximum available under current regulations.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent, and he seeks a higher rating. The Board found that the maximum disability rating for tinnitus under current regulations is 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus is rated as 10 percent disabling and cannot be assigned separate ratings for each ear due to VA regulations.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected tinnitus, finding that separate ratings for bilateral tinnitus are not allowed under VA regulations.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an increased evaluation for his tinnitus, finding that the current rating criteria do not allow for separate evaluations for each ear and that a single 10 percent evaluation is appropriate.

The veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation of tinnitus was denied as the current evaluation (10%) is considered to be the maximum schedular evaluation available under the applicable rating criteria.