Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2007

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

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service, and the competent medical evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began in service. The veteran's current psychiatric disability is also not linked to his military service.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are found to be related to service, with the Board granting service connection for both conditions.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities are rated at a combined 80 percent, which is sufficient to warrant a TDIU rating. The effective date for the hearing loss with otitis media and chronic catarrhal remains unchanged.

The Board has reopened the veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic otitis media. Bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to service, while tinnitus was also linked to service.

The case is being remanded because the VA did not conduct a proper examination to determine if the veteran's tinnitus is related to noise exposure during service.

The veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be caused by exposure to noise during service, leading to a grant of service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches, tinnitus, and a lumbar spine injury with degenerative disc disease. The claim for PTSD was also denied due to lack of corroborated in-service stressor. For his right shoulder disability, the rating remained at 30 percent effective August 29, 2006.

The veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were granted. He was assigned a 10 percent evaluation for each condition effective from February 8, 1999.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and malaria, as well as his increased evaluation for PTSD and evaluation of degenerative changes of the lumbar spine with low back strain. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service medical records and private treatment records. The veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a cardiovascular disorder will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The veteran's request for a higher disability rating for tinnitus is denied as there is no legal basis to award separate schedular evaluations for tinnitus in each ear.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in equipoise on whether noise exposure during service caused or aggravated the veteran's current tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not make him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus denying his claim for TDIU.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and a skin disorder of the hands and feet are denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection were denied as the earliest date of receipt of claim is March 23, 2004.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected, as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his time in service. The prostate cancer claim requires further development due to a lack of medical nexus.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and pain in the joints, finding no current disability manifested by these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, with the cause of these conditions attributed to noise exposure during his military service.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's current tinnitus or cervical spine disability to his military service, and thus denied both claims.