Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2007

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has received a withdrawal of the appeal from the appellant prior to any decision being made.

The Board found that the veteran's tinnitus is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus and a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and lower back shrapnel fragments, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service, nor could they be presumed to have been incurred due to noise exposure. The claims for service connection were therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's pre-existing bilateral defective hearing was not aggravated by service, and he does not have tinnitus due to a disease or injury incurred in service.

The veteran's appeal for increased ratings for bilateral tinnitus and hearing loss was denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent is assigned for each condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as evidenced by a lack of in-service complaints or findings, normal hearing at separation, and no medical opinion linking these conditions to service. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The left knee disorder was rated at the minimum level, while the scar of the left shoulder did not meet a compensable rating criteria. Service connection was not granted for chronic bronchitis or tinnitus.

The Board has decided to remand the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete development of evidence, including a need for VA examinations to confirm current diagnoses and determine if they are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus on a secondary basis, finding that it is related to the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board finds that the weight of the competent medical evidence shows that the appellant's current tinnitus is not etiologically related to acoustic trauma in service, and therefore denies the claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus.

The Board found no evidence of current hearing loss or tinnitus disabilities, and the preponderance of the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in service. The veteran's complaints of hearing loss and tinnitus began many years after his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board finds that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus did not begin during service or within one year of separation, and are not related to his military service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as there is no credible evidence to support the assertions made by the veteran regarding in-service noise exposure or continuity of symptoms after service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and denied his claim for service connection. The bilateral hearing loss claim is being remanded to obtain a VA opinion regarding its etiology.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, hearing loss, or tinnitus that are related to his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of current disabilities or a link to service.