Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2007

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for PTSD and a TDIU prior to July 23, 2004. The evidence did not support higher ratings for PTSD or a finding of unemployability due solely to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and service personnel records. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are also being remanded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected, but has granted service connection for tinnitus due to continuity of symptoms since military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus began during his military service due to noise exposure, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The VA denied the veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence to support a relationship between his current disability and his military service.

The VA denied the veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus and an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no 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 military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current disabilities of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, or a disability manifested by flat feet related to service. The claims for increased ratings are also denied.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability and denied both the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the veteran did not timely file a substantive appeal with regard to the rating decisions in August 2000 and November 2000, denying claims of service connection for a skin disorder, hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a right hip disability and granted service connection for tinnitus. The right hip disability is found to be related to military service, while the tinnitus is also found to be related to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the veteran's current diagnoses are related to his military service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional treatment records from his VA medical center in Shreveport. The claims will be reconsidered after these records are obtained.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for tinnitus, and as a result, the claim is granted.

The veteran's claim for separate 10 percent evaluations for each ear for bilateral tinnitus is denied as the maximum schedular evaluation of 10 percent has already been assigned under both old and new versions of Diagnostic Code 6260.

The Board found no competent medical evidence of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus, and thus denied the veteran's claims for service connection.

The veteran's death was not service-connected, and the Board found that his service-connected conditions did not materially contribute to his cause of death. Therefore, burial benefits based on service-connected death are denied.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further development and adjudication of the claims on the merits.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and reopened the claim for bilateral sensorineural deafness, finding that there is a reasonable likelihood that both conditions are related to service.