Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2008

The Board has remanded the claims due to the veteran's failure to appear for a Travel Board hearing scheduled in October 2008. The case is now back with the RO for further action.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it was incurred in service. Service connection was denied for the other conditions listed.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have hearing loss or tinnitus that is related to his military service and therefore denied both claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by active service, nor may they be presumed to have been so incurred.

The Board has decided that the veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not currently resolved, and thus requires further development to determine if service connection can be granted.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is currently rated at the maximum schedular evaluation of 10 percent, and no higher. The Board found that there is no legal basis for a separate rating for each ear.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining an opinion on whether the veteran's hearing loss at entry was aggravated by service and a determination of whether his tinnitus is related to service. The case will be held in abeyance until these issues are resolved.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service and denied the veteran's claims for service connection as there was insufficient continuity of symptomatology to support a grant based on post-service complaints.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus. The left ear hearing loss claim is remanded for readjudication.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the veteran's tinnitus is at least as likely as not incurred in service. The other issues regarding additional chronic right eye disabilities and diminished sense of smell/taste secondary to right eye injury are remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the veteran's current conditions did not have a nexus to his active service. The VA examination revealed significant sensorineural hearing loss but concluded it was not likely due to noise exposure during service.

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

The Board denied increased evaluations for tinnitus, bilateral plantar fasciitis, mechanical low back pain as a result of disc degeneration, and bilateral hearing loss. The highest possible rating (10%) was already assigned for the veteran's tinnitus.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, a lower back disability, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and hiatal hernia. The appeals are REMANDED to the RO.

The veteran's appeal for increased ratings for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, as well as his claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, is being remanded for additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence. Service connection for tinnitus was denied as the veteran's claim is not supported by medical opinion linking his current condition to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions of chronic bilateral hearing loss and chronic tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by active service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed disabilities, including residuals of a right hand injury and arthritis of the first right carpometacarpal joint, were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claim for tinnitus was also denied as there is no evidence linking it to service.

The Board has withdrawn the veteran's appeal regarding his claim for service connection for schizoaffective disorder. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right ankle disorder, and left ankle disorder were denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions or a link to military service.