Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2007

The veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he claims are related to acoustic trauma during his military service. The VA needs to obtain additional medical records and schedule the veteran for an audiology examination at a VA Medical Center to determine if these conditions are related to his service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but finds that there is no current disability of tinnitus. The veteran's pre-existing bilateral hearing loss was not aggravated by active service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, including PTSD. The cause of death listed on his death certificate was gradual progressive weakness, failure to thrive, which were attributed to cervical and lumbar myelopathy and acute myocardial infarction (MI) secondary to anemia.

The veteran's appeal for an increased rating for service-connected tinnitus was denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10% is available under current VA regulations.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to lack of loss of use of extremities, blindness, or anatomical loss of hands.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a left knee condition, right knee condition, stomach disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a left wrist scar. The RO previously denied these claims in September 2002 without reopening them.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, specifically bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The VA examiners found no evidence of these conditions during or after service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current tinnitus and PTSD are not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and may not be presumed to have been so incurred or aggravated.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left ear hearing loss, which preexisted his entry into service, underwent a clinically identifiable permanent increase in severity during his initial period of active service. Therefore, service connection for this condition is granted.

The RO denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and a right knee disability due to lack of causal relationship to service. The decisions were final.

The veteran's polycystic ovary syndrome was granted service connection, while her claims for tinnitus and tonsillitis were denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have tinnitus related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection. The issue of entitlement to a higher initial evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus did not manifest in service and is unrelated to his military service, thus denying the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran should be afforded another VA audiological examination to determine the etiology of any currently present tinnitus.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 10 percent initial evaluation, effective from October 15, 2001. The veteran's claim to reopen his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus claims was denied. His application for an increased rating for PTSD was also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hearing loss in the right ear and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The Board also found that the veteran did not provide any information or evidence to support his claims.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, but denied both on the merits.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is assigned a 10 percent rating, the maximum rating authorized under Diagnostic Code 6260. There is no legal basis for the assignment of a schedular evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral tinnitus.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus has been assigned the maximum schedular evaluation available, and he is not entitled to separate evaluations for each ear.