Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2007

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected, as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated in active military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are denied. The right ear hearing loss claim is pending due to its inextricably intertwined nature with the left ear hearing loss claim.

The Board has granted service connection for a right ear conductive hearing loss disability, finding that it is likely due to an infectious process that began during the veteran's period of active service. Service connection for tinnitus was denied as there is no clear etiology provided by VA examiners. The initial rating claim for left ear hearing loss remains pending.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the veteran's current hearing impairment is causally related to his in-service noise exposure. The issue of service connection for tinnitus remains pending as it now hinges on whether the current tinnitus is related to service or another condition.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as they were first clinically indicated many years after discharge from active duty.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional VA treatment records and ensure all duty-to-assist obligations have been met.

The veteran is claiming earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, but the Board finds that no such claims were filed prior to August 1, 2003.,There was a denial of service connection for hearing loss in September 1969, which became final. The veteran did not file an appeal within one year of this decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VCAA notice and other procedural issues. The veteran's claims for service connection for a duodenal ulcer, hypertension, tinnitus, and hearing loss are being reviewed.

The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for PTSD or Tinnitus, and thus denied both claims.

The veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was initially filed on September 25, 1970. The VA granted this claim in a May 2004 rating decision with an effective date of October 17, 2003. The Board has determined that the earliest possible effective date is September 25, 1970.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus did not begin in or is otherwise related to his active military service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, effective October 22, 2006. The RO denied the claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent prior to that date and a separate evaluation for bilateral tinnitus.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to care for his daily personal needs or protect himself from the hazards and dangers of daily living without regular aid and attendance, nor does he meet the criteria for being permanently housebound.

The veteran's claim for separate ratings for tinnitus in each ear was denied as the maximum disability rating of 10% is already assigned under current regulations.

The Board found that the veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus were not related to his active service, as there was no evidence of such conditions during or within one year after service. The VA examiner concluded that the veteran's symptoms are more likely not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current sinusitis, back disability, or bilateral hearing loss disability. The service connection claims for these conditions are denied.

The veteran's claim for accrued benefits was denied as the claim had not been pending at the time of his death. The cause of death was alcohol-related, and service connection for the cause of death could not be established due to lack of evidence showing a direct relationship between the veteran's service-connected conditions and his death.