Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2004

The case is being remanded to the RO due to incomplete documentation and the need for additional medical examinations. The appellant's claims for service connection are pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current right knee disorder, left knee disorder, hearing loss, or tinnitus related to service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The VA has denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, assigning a 10 percent evaluation in each case. The RO found that the veteran's hearing loss does not meet the criteria for an evaluation higher than 10 percent under the applicable rating schedule, and similarly, there is no exceptional pattern of hearing impairment or other basis to warrant a higher evaluation. For his tinnitus, the VA has also denied the claim, as it did not find any evidence of an exceptional pattern of hearing impairment that would allow for a separate evaluation.

The Board granted service connection for the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, assigning a 10 percent rating effective from May 23, 2002. The veteran is not entitled to higher initial ratings for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and an initial disability rating of 30 percent for the veteran's skin condition (tinea versicolor). The issues regarding bilateral hearing loss, seizure disorder, and a higher rating for the skin condition are still pending.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the evidence supported a direct link to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and medical opinion regarding the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, which are claimed to be related to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss disability and chronic bilateral tinnitus, but remanded the issue of right ear hearing loss disability due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and a 10 percent evaluation for bilateral hearing loss. The claims of reopening the previously denied claims for Meniere's disease and a back disorder are remanded to the RO.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty noise exposure during World War II.,Both bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were determined to be incurred in service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected bilateral tinnitus, finding that a maximum 10 percent rating is available under current VA regulations.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA audiometry examination. The combined disability rating issue remains pending.

The veteran's PTSD is manifested by symptoms such as insomnia, nightmares, intrusive recollections of Vietnam, hypervigilance, nervousness, poor appetite, social isolation, and depression. The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for PTSD.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and denied an increased rating for left ear otitis externa. The veteran's tinnitus is found to be of service origin, while his left ear otitis externa does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board found that the veteran's tinnitus and hearing loss were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service, as there was no current diagnosis of these conditions and no evidence linking them to service. The examiner opined that it is less than likely that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to military noise exposure.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and residuals of a perforated right eardrum, finding no current disability or evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence to support these conditions as being related to his military service.

The Board has ordered additional development to determine if the veteran's current hearing impairment and tinnitus are related to his active service, including exposure to acoustic trauma during his time on board the USS Sangamon.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not due to noise exposure in service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.