Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2006

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus is already assigned the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent, so a higher evaluation is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there was no competent evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and his military service. The VA examiner opined that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are more than not unrelated to military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, hearing loss, and tinnitus as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his period of active service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected as they are related to his exposure to acoustic trauma during active duty.

The veteran's claim for separate schedular 10 percent disability evaluations for bilateral tinnitus is denied as the current version of Diagnostic Code 6260 precludes separate 10 percent evaluations.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral tinnitus, to include entitlement to separate evaluations for each ear, is denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent has already been assigned.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent, the maximum rating allowed under Diagnostic Code 6260. The appeal for a higher evaluation has been denied as there is no legal basis to award separate ratings for each ear.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus is already assigned the maximum rating of 10 percent, and a separate compensable evaluation for each ear is denied.

The veteran's claim for separate 10 percent ratings for each ear for tinnitus is denied as the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 6260 has already been assigned.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus is already assigned the maximum rating of 10 percent, and a separate compensable evaluation for each ear is denied.

The veteran's claim for separate schedular 10 percent disability ratings for bilateral tinnitus is denied as the condition is assigned a single 10 percent rating under applicable VA regulations.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum rating allowed under DC 6260. The appeal for a higher rating is denied as there is no legal basis to award separate ratings for each ear.

The veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for service-connected tinnitus has been denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10% is already assigned.

The veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected tinnitus, to include entitlement to separate evaluations for each ear, is denied as the maximum schedular rating available for tinnitus has been assigned.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus is currently rated at the maximum of 10 percent, and no higher rating is warranted.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is assigned the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent, and there is no legal basis for a higher evaluation.

The veteran's appeal for clear and unmistakable error in the June 2001 rating decision that assigned a 10 percent initial evaluation for bilateral tinnitus is denied. The law applied at the time was correctly applied, and there is no legal basis to award separate schedular evaluations for tinnitus in each ear.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus is already receiving the maximum schedular disability rating of 10 percent, which is the highest available under the applicable rating criteria.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus is already assigned the maximum rating of 10 percent, which cannot be increased further under current regulations.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is already assigned the maximum rating of 10 percent, and no additional ratings are granted.