Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2004

The veteran's appeal was dismissed because he died during the pendency of his appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation for tinnitus, finding that the current 10 percent evaluation is appropriate given the severity of his disability and the lack of evidence to support a higher rating.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder disorder and granted service connection for several other disorders, including hearing loss, tinnitus, pneumothorax residuals, abdomen disorder, penis numbness, and skin disorder (chloracne).

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, headaches, hypertension, and sinusitis as the veteran did not have a current diagnosis of these conditions.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent and his tinnitus is also rated at 10 percent. The Board finds that the current ratings are appropriate based on the evidence of record.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus do not preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The veteran's tinnitus is related to service, and the RO has granted service connection for this condition. The other claims are pending further development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied as there is no medical evidence establishing a link between his current disabilities and his noise exposure during service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus due to new and material evidence submitted, including a medical opinion linking his current tinnitus to in-service exposure to jet aircraft noise. The claim will now be evaluated on its merits.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current disability of coronary artery disease, bilateral hearing loss, or tinnitus that is service-connected. The evidence did not show any heart disease during service and no nexus between his current condition and service.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral tinnitus is being remanded to the RO for additional development and consideration.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including a VA examination and medical nexus opinion regarding the veteran's tinnitus claim. The veteran contends that his tinnitus began in service due to noise exposure from aircraft operations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to a lack of competent evidence of current treatment or diagnosis for these conditions.

The veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service acoustic trauma, and a VA examination is needed to determine the nature, severity, and etiology of these conditions.

The veteran's tinnitus is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 6260, recurrent tinnitus. The claim of entitlement to separate compensable ratings for tinnitus for each ear is without legal merit.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss disability or tinnitus related to service, and denied the veteran's claims for these conditions. The Board also determined that there is insufficient evidence to establish a connection between any dental condition and service.

The Board denied service connection for refractive error, right eye disability, acquired psychiatric disability, and tinnitus as the conditions are not considered disabilities under VA compensation laws.

The Board granted a disability evaluation of 10 percent for tinnitus from October 20, 1997 to June 9, 1999. The claim for higher evaluations was denied.

The VA determined that the veteran's diagnosed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in service, as there was no evidence of such conditions during his active duty. The VA found that the current hearing loss and tinnitus are more likely due to post-service noise exposure rather than service exposure.