Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2005

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound prior to August 30, 2002.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and headaches. The appeals were decided on the basis of direct service connection without any presumption or secondary to a service-connected disability.

The veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the back, knees, and shoulders, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and residuals of a concussion. The effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is set at November 29, 1999.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss disability, and her service-connected patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee is manifested by tenderness on palpation without functional limitation. The initial evaluations for tinea versicolor, polynephritis, and tinnitus are denied as well.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for further examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder, bilateral defective hearing with tinnitus, and an increased evaluation for his gastrointestinal disorder. The denial was based on the absence of new and material evidence to reopen the claim for cervical spine disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected tinnitus and did not address or grant service connection for inner ear damage.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current hearing loss or tinnitus disabilities and therefore cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a reopening of the claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging appropriate examinations to determine if the veteran's current back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are related to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and assigned a noncompensable rating for chronic urticaria. The veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his military service, while the urticaria is currently rated as noncompensably disabling.

The VA has determined that the appellant's service-connected bilateral tinnitus warrants a maximum 10 percent evaluation, and no higher. The claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims to reopen his service connection claims for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that no new and material evidence had been presented.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for tinnitus, to include a separate evaluation for each ear, was denied as the condition is already rated at its maximum of 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 6260.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his active service. The residuals of shell fragment wounds on the right thigh and elbow are also found to be related to his military service, warranting a 10% rating for each.

The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied as the maximum schedular rating under Diagnostic Code 6260, which applies to recurrent tinnitus, is already assigned.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, concluding that there was no evidence linking the condition to service.

The veteran's initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss and his claim for service connection for tinnitus were both granted, but the effective date of these decisions is not specified.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for hypertension due to new evidence. However, it was determined that hypertension is not related to military service and cannot be presumed as a result of Agent Orange exposure.