Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2007

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding medical records and an incomplete VA examination. The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus will be reconsidered after obtaining these records and conducting a new examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining National Guard service records and scheduling a VA audiological examination.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the veteran's current tinnitus had causal origins with his exposure to acoustic trauma during military service.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus is properly evaluated as 10 percent disabling, and a rating in excess of this is denied.

The veteran's appeal involves the reduction of his disability ratings for service-connected hearing loss. The RO has reduced the rating from 30 percent to 0 percent effective September 1, 2004 and then increased it to 10 percent effective February 18, 2007. The veteran is requesting a full review of these decisions.

The Board has determined that it is at least as likely as not that the veteran's tinnitus began during active service or as a result of in-service acoustic trauma. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have tinnitus or hearing loss that is attributable to his military service. The Board found no evidence of in-service noise exposure and concluded that any current hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active service, and therefore denied both claims for service connection.

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

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for an effective date prior to February 3, 2003 for service connection of tinnitus and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The case is being remanded for further development.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is assigned a maximum schedular rating of 10 percent, and there is no legal basis for separate ratings for each ear. The appeal is denied.

The Board has determined that the effective dates for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus cannot be earlier than May 25, 2004, as there was no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to service prior to that date.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that both conditions are related to in-service acoustic trauma.

The veteran's claim for separate 10 percent evaluations for bilateral tinnitus was denied as the condition is evaluated under a single 10 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are as likely as not due to noise exposure in service, warranting service connection for both conditions.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, tinnitus, arthritis, and hypertension. The veteran's current conditions were not related to his active military service.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection for a left eye disorder and tinnitus due to deficiencies in previous examinations.

The Board has denied the veteran's request for an earlier effective date of October 27, 1995, for the grant of service connection for tinnitus. The decision states that the earliest effective date allowed by law is October 27, 1995, as this is the date of receipt of his application to reopen a previously denied claim.