Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2008

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

The Board has determined that the veteran did not timely perfect an appeal as to his claims for service connection for headaches, chest pain, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, otitis media, labyrinthitis, and sinusitis. As a result, these issues are dismissed.

The Board has ordered the RO to obtain SSA records and VA treatment records from the Lowell VAMC. The claims for service connection will be readjudicated based on whether new and material evidence has been received.

The veteran's tinnitus has been assigned the maximum schedular rating available (10 percent), and there is no legal basis to award separate ratings for each ear. The appeal must be denied.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent disabling, which is the maximum available benefit. The RO has not assigned a higher evaluation for his bilateral high frequency sensorineural hearing loss or bilateral tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities as secondary to the veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.,Service connection was also granted for tinnitus, which is believed to be due to noise exposure during military service.

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

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have tinnitus that is related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is currently rated at the maximum of 10 percent, and there is no legal basis for an increased rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the criteria were not met for an initial rating higher than 70 percent or 10 percent respectively.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's headache disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo as they were not related to his military service.

The veteran's claim to reopen a service connection for left acoustic neuroma was received on January 11, 2000. Effective from this date, he is granted service connection for various disabilities and SMC for loss of use of one eye as residuals of his service-connected post-operative left acoustic neuroma.

The veteran's tinnitus is likely related to his military service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for a TDIU and service connection for basal cell carcinoma due to insufficient evidence in the record. The veteran is seeking a TDIU based on his service-connected skin disability, hearing loss, and tinnitus, which he contends make it difficult for him to secure or maintain employment. His claim for service connection for basal cell carcinoma has been previously denied but may be reopened with new and material evidence.

The veteran's claim for two separate 10 percent ratings for tinnitus in each ear was denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent is already assigned.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of such conditions during or within one year after service. The VA examiner found no nexus between current hearing loss and service exposure, while the private physician opined in favor of a relationship based on noise exposure during service. As neither opinion was probative due to lack of contemporaneous medical records, the Board denied both claims.

The Board is remanding the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete service records and need for medical opinions.,The Board is also remanding the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete service records and need for medical opinions.,The Board is further remanding the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete service records and need for medical opinions.,The Board is additionally remanding the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete service records and need for medical opinions.,The Board is also remanding the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete service records and need for medical opinions.,The Board is further remanding the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete service records and need for medical opinions.,The Board is additionally remanding the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete service records and need for medical opinions.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and medical documentation relied upon in the award of disability benefits.

The veteran's knee conditions have been rated at the minimum of 10 percent, and service connection for tinnitus has been granted.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there was no evidence of such conditions during service. The VA examiner concluded that it is less likely than not that the veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service.