Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2004

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's current tinnitus to his service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a seizure disorder, and an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for status post crush injury of the right middle finger with deformity and degenerative arthritis due to procedural reasons.

The veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected bilateral tinnitus was denied as the maximum schedular rating allowed by law is 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine the current existence and etiology of claimed hearing loss and tinnitus, including any relationship with noise exposure in service.

The Board found that the appellant's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not manifest within one year of separation from active military service, and therefore could not be granted presumptive service connection. The VA examiner concluded that the current disabilities were more likely related to post-service noise exposure rather than in-service events.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the veteran's current conditions were not incurred or aggravated by his military service.

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

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected bilateral tinnitus was denied as the maximum schedular rating has already been assigned.

The Board denied the claim of entitlement to an increased disability rating for tinnitus, finding that a single 10 percent evaluation is the maximum allowed under VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The veteran's appeal is denied as he is not entitled to separate disability ratings for tinnitus in each ear under the applicable regulations.

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

The veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected bilateral tinnitus was denied as the maximum schedular rating allowed by law is 10 percent.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision. The case is dismissed without prejudice.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for separate 10 percent disability ratings for bilateral tinnitus is denied as a matter of law due to the change in regulations effective June 2003, which prohibits the assignment of separate ratings for tinnitus.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for separate 10 percent initial ratings for bilateral tinnitus, finding that a single 10 percent rating applies to recurrent tinnitus regardless of whether it is perceived in one ear, both ears, or within the head.

The veteran's claim for separate schedular 10 percent disability ratings for bilateral tinnitus is denied as the regulation does not allow for separate ratings for unilateral or bilateral tinnitus.

The veteran's claim for separate disability evaluations for tinnitus in each ear was denied as there is no legal basis to assign such evaluations.

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 found that the veteran's claim for separate 10 percent disability ratings for bilateral tinnitus is denied as the revised rating criteria do not allow for such a division of ratings.