Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2005

The veteran was found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, but only for the period after July 23, 1998.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus due to service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board found no evidence of hearing disabilities during service and denied the veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the 30 percent evaluation of labyrinthitis with tinnitus should be September 17, 1989.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and a need for further development, including obtaining evidence of exposure during basic training.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are not related to his military service.

The veteran's claim for separate schedular ratings for bilateral tinnitus was denied as the condition is considered a single disability entity.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, finding that pes planus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were linked to noise exposure during service, a skin rash and viral illness with dermatitis did not have evidence of an onset related to service, sleep apnea was not due to undiagnosed illness, irritable bowel syndrome was diagnosed years after service without evidence linking it to service, joint pain was also diagnosed post-service without evidence linking it to service, and residuals of mole removal were asymptomatic.

The Board found that the veteran's left ear hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated by service and denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's tinnitus is rated at the maximum allowable under VA regulations, which prevents a higher rating. The claim for separate ratings for each ear was denied as tinnitus cannot be considered two separate disabilities.

The Board found no evidence of tinnitus during service or at any time since, and thus denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining service medical records and providing the veteran with a VA examination to determine if his hearing loss and tinnitus are related to military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to the RO for further development and consideration.

The veteran's claim for a separate evaluation of tinnitus in each ear is denied as only a single 10 percent rating can be assigned under the applicable VA regulations.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding no evidence of current disability related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for PTSD and entitlement to TDIU due to insufficient reasons and bases in the previous decision. A new VA examination is required, along with a readjudication of the claims.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD based on unverified in-service stressors and denied service connection for tinnitus due to lack of evidence.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and clarification of her claims.

The Board has determined that separate evaluations for tinnitus in each ear are not warranted as the law precludes such evaluations.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to fully and fairly consider the veteran's claims, including records from SSA and private medical providers.