Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claims for service connection can be decided.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims due to incomplete records and the need for additional development. The veteran is requested to provide information about any relevant evidence in his possession.

The veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for service-connected bilateral hearing loss and separate ratings for tinnitus is denied as the maximum schedular rating has been assigned.

The veteran's tinnitus is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 6260, and the RO denied his request for separate evaluations for each ear. The maximum schedular rating available for tinnitus has been assigned.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for tinnitus was denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent is already assigned under Diagnostic Code 6260, which has been upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

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

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 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 Board denied the veteran's claim for a higher rating for tinnitus, finding that the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent is already assigned and there is no legal basis to award a separate rating.

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 appeal for separate 10 percent ratings for tinnitus of each ear is denied as there is no legal basis to award such ratings given the maximum schedular rating available for tinnitus has already been assigned.

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 the maximum of 10 percent, and no higher rating can be granted under the applicable diagnostic code.

The veteran's claim for a separate 10 percent evaluation for the service-connected tinnitus is denied as per VA regulations.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for tinnitus is denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent has been assigned and upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

The veteran's claim for an initial, separate 10 percent rating for each ear for his service-connected tinnitus must be denied under both the old and current versions of DC 6260. As the service-connected tinnitus has been assigned the maximum schedular rating available for tinnitus by regulation and DC 6260, which has been upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, there is no legal basis upon which to award a separate, 10 percent rating for tinnitus.

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 service-connected bilateral tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum rating allowed under Diagnostic Code 6260. The Board has determined that there is no legal basis for a higher rating.

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

The veteran's claim for separate compensable ratings for bilateral tinnitus was denied as there is no legal basis to award such ratings given the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent has already been assigned.