Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2007

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinion regarding the etiology of the veteran's tinnitus, specifically whether it is related to military service or any service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to additional evidence not yet considered by the RO.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent, the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 6260. The Board denied an increased evaluation as there is no legal basis for a separate rating for each ear.

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

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

The veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him incapable of attending to his daily needs without the regular assistance of another person, and he is therefore denied special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for chronic otitis media, residuals of suppurative otitis media, and tinnitus. The right inguinal hernia claim remains denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a disability manifested by tinnitus due to disease or injury incurred in service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found no medical evidence linking the veteran's tinnitus to his military service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as he is capable of engaging in substantially gainful employment despite his hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded it to the RO. The claims for tinnitus and right ear perforation are granted.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus is currently rated at the maximum allowable rating of 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 6260, and no higher initial ratings are warranted.

The Board found no evidence of a preexisting heart condition and denied service connection for coronary artery disease. The veteran's tinnitus was not shown to be related to military service, as it resolved prior to discharge.

The veteran's appeal for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected bilateral tinnitus was denied. The Board also found that the veteran did not have a valid claim for service connection for headaches and neck pain as secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied claims for service connection for tinnitus, gout of the ankles and feet, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities. The veteran's claim for tinnitus was denied as there was no earlier filed claim found. Service connection for gout and peripheral neuropathy were also denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for verification of stressors related to PTSD and additional development of private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for further examination.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military noise exposure.

The Board found that the veteran does not have tinnitus as a result of his service and denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent, the maximum rating authorized under Diagnostic Code 6260. There is no legal basis for a higher evaluation.