Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2007

The veteran is granted a 50% evaluation for his service-connected bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Service connection is granted for tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus is not related to his military service and denied the claim. The hearing loss was found by a VA examiner to be more likely due to presbycusis (age-related hearing loss) rather than noise exposure in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine the current nature and likely etiology of the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for further examination and development of records.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting VA examinations to determine the etiology of the veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and remanded his claim for service connection for tinnitus. The veteran is required to submit a timely VA Form 9 within 60 days of issuance of the SOC.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including left ankle fracture, left knee bursitis, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hemorrhoids, and degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder. The veteran's claims are not supported by evidence showing a direct link to his military service.

The veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for service-connected tinnitus is denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10% is already assigned.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected tinnitus, finding that a single 10 percent rating is the maximum allowed under current regulations.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability of tinnitus, and there is no evidence linking it to his military service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for direct service connection for tinnitus and an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss. The evidence did not support a finding that his current conditions were related to his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and anxiety disorder and insomnia secondary to tinnitus due to a lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, a perforated right tympanic membrane, and tinnitus. The Board denied these claims as there was no competent medical evidence linking any current conditions to service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus and granted the claim, finding that new evidence supports a current diagnosis of tinnitus and establishing continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have service connection for any of the claimed disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, headaches, low back disability, and vision problems in the left eye.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the veteran's current condition is related to his in-service exposure and hearing issues.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral tinnitus and entitlement to a compensable evaluation for residuals of a right fifth finger fracture, finding no legal basis for higher ratings under VA regulations. The claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is remanded for further development.

The veteran's claimed conditions, including bilateral foot pain, right and left carpal tunnel syndrome, stomach ulcers, gastrointestinal reflux disease, erectile dysfunction, chronic sinusitis, lipomatous lesion of the left shoulder, benign prostatic hypertrophy, tinnitus, depressive disorder, and hypertension, have been evaluated. The veteran does not meet the criteria for a combined 100 percent schedular rating under the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities. Therefore, his claim for permanent and total disability rating for VA non-service-connected pension purposes has been denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus were not received by VA prior to August 19, 2003.,The veteran's claim for restoration of a 10% rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied in the Board's August 2006 decision. The effective date of the reduction action should be corrected to December 31, 2004.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have hearing loss or tinnitus that is related to his military service, and thus denied both claims.