Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2006

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

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

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is already assigned the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent, so a higher evaluation cannot be granted.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, an increased rating for bilateral tinnitus, and a claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service occurrence.

The Board finds that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of such during service or within one year after separation. The veteran has a long history of noise exposure in civilian employment post-service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus was not caused by his active military service and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's request for a hearing before the Board has been granted, and his case is being remanded to the RO for scheduling of the requested hearing at his local RO.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for separate initial schedular 10 percent disability ratings for bilateral tinnitus is without legal merit and denied it.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus is already assigned the maximum schedular rating available, and therefore separate ratings for each ear are denied.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus is already assigned the maximum rating of 10 percent, and there is no legal basis for assigning separate ratings for each ear.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus is already assigned the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent, and therefore there is no legal entitlement for a separate 10-percent evaluation for each ear.

The veteran's request for separate 10 percent disability ratings for tinnitus in each ear is denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent has already been assigned.

The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, based on assignment of a separate rating for each ear, is denied under both the old and new versions of the regulation.

The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, including based on assignment of a separate compensable rating for each ear, is denied as lacking legal merit due to the pre-2003 version of Diagnostic Code 6260 which limits a veteran to a single disability rating for tinnitus, regardless whether it is perceived in one ear or both.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus is currently rated at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent, and no higher. The RO denied an increase in this rating because there is no provision for separate ratings for each ear under Diagnostic Code 6260.

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

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is assigned a 10 percent rating, the maximum rating authorized under Diagnostic Code 6260. There is no legal basis for the assignment of separate 10 percent ratings for tinnitus in each ear.

The veteran's request for separate schedular 10 percent ratings for bilateral tinnitus was denied as there is no legal basis to award such ratings.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus has been assigned the maximum schedular rating available, and there is no legal basis for a separate evaluation in each ear. The appeal must be denied.