Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2008

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not related to his service, and the claim for service connection was denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and residuals of head trauma (including an upper lip scar and a forehead scar) have been denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,Specifically, the VA examiner found that the veteran does not have hearing loss or tinnitus related to service. The examiner also noted that the alleged injuries resulting in scars on the upper lip and forehead were not documented in service records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and granted a 20 percent rating for his intervertebral disc syndrome. The veteran does not have diagnosed PTSD, but has mild to moderate symptoms of intervertebral disc syndrome.

The veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened.,The veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was not reopened, as the new evidence does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for tinnitus were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for tinnitus, as there was no competent clinical opinion linking the condition to military service.

The Board determined that the veteran's cause of death, cardiac failure due to or resulting from coronary artery disease, was not caused by a service-connected disability.

The Board finds that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are linked to service, with continuity of symptoms since discharge. Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus.

The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral tinnitus is denied as the condition is already rated at the maximum allowed under VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and verifying the veteran's TDY periods. The claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD will be reviewed after these actions.

The veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Board finds that a new VA examination is required to determine the current existence and etiology of any hearing loss and/or tinnitus found, as the January 2006 VA examiner's opinion is based on the fact that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus started in 1995.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board found that a psychiatric disorder was not manifested in service or within the first post-service year and is not shown to be related to service. The veteran's anxiety and depression are not considered to be caused by his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus, finding that there is no current disability on either side as defined by VA regulations. The Board also found that any potential hearing loss or tinnitus did not result from noise exposure in service.

The VA determined that the veteran's tinnitus is not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected due to a lack of evidence showing their onset or aggravation during military service, and no presumption applies.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and a skin disorder. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities related to these conditions.

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

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise and therefore, service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus is already receiving the maximum disability rating available under the applicable rating criteria, a 10 percent evaluation. Therefore, there is no legal basis for an increased evaluation.

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