Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2004

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of shrapnel injury in the left eyebrow, residual scarring from a bullet wound in the left leg, and tinnitus. These conditions are considered resolved as they have been granted.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for separate compensable evaluations for each ear for service-connected bilateral tinnitus, finding that only a single evaluation is assignable under current VA regulations and precedent opinions.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining his service personnel records and a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is related to noise exposure during service and grants this claim. The claim for tinnitus was denied as there is no current diagnosis of tinnitus.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and tinnitus. The evidence did not support a relationship between any of these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations due to incomplete development of records, including a German medical record that needs translation.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and arranging for a VA examination. The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being considered.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for vocational rehabilitation services, finding that he did not have an employment handicap and thus did not meet the eligibility criteria under Chapter 31 of Title 38.

The veteran is granted increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, vertigo (Meniere's Syndrome), and tinnitus.,Effective September 23, 2003, the veteran has been rated at 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss. Effective August 30, 2002, he was rated at 10 percent for vertigo and 10 percent for tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss is of service origin and granted service connection for this condition.

The veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for service-connected bilateral tinnitus was denied as the condition is already rated at its maximum allowable under VA regulations.

The VA denied an increased rating for hemorrhoids and hearing loss, as well as not reopening the tinnitus claim or granting service connection for a foot disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or continuity of symptomatology. The veteran's claims were not supported by competent medical evidence linking his current conditions to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran is not entitled to separate 10 percent disability ratings for his bilateral tinnitus as a matter of law, due to VA regulations prohibiting such ratings. The prior version of DC 6260 did not address whether separate ratings could be assigned for each ear.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus must be remanded due to incomplete development, including a need for clarification on whether he is a veteran of combat and was exposed to acoustic trauma during his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for separate schedular ratings for bilateral tinnitus, finding that a single 10 percent rating was appropriate under the applicable VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for separate 10 percent disability ratings for bilateral tinnitus, finding that a single 10 percent rating is authorized under VA regulations.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss or tinnitus, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to service. Therefore, service connection for both hearing loss and tinnitus was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but the effective date remains pending as it was not established in this decision.