Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2008

The veteran's right-sided Bell's palsy is rated at 30 percent, with a separate 10 percent rating for unilateral lagophthalmos and a 50 percent rating by analogy to disfiguring scarring due to facial asymmetry. The effective date of the increased rating remains pending as it was not factually ascertainable prior to June 10, 2005.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the veteran's claims, including obtaining SSA records.

The Board found that the appellant's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or related to his active military service.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus and his active service, thus denying both claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated in active military service. The only competent clinical opinion on file is against a finding of service connection.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence of a nexus between the conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have verified active duty service and therefore cannot establish a claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus. The claims are denied.

The Board has denied all service connection claims for the veteran's claimed disabilities, finding no evidence of a causal relationship between any current disability and his active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right rotator cuff tear, hearing loss, tinnitus, and secretory otitis media as they were not related to his military service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining missing medical records and requesting an addendum opinion from a VA audiologist.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, arthritis, tinnitus, hearing loss, and diabetes mellitus due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions had their onset during or are otherwise related to his active service.

The Board found that the veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, including his service-connected right zygoma and maxilla fracture. The evidence did not support a finding of continuity of symptomatology after service.

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

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected conditions did not meet the criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability prior to March 12, 2002. As such, an earlier effective date is denied.

The Board found that service connection for the cause of the veteran's death is not warranted due to lack of evidence of a diagnosed psychiatric condition, such as PTSD, related to active service. The appellant's claim for Dependent's Educational Assistance under Chapter 35 was also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service, and the audiometric tests conducted before, during, and after service were all essentially normal. The veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus have been attributed to post-service occupational noise exposure.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates were denied. His tinnitus was already at the maximum schedular rating, and his eczema claim did not meet the criteria for an earlier effective date.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that his current assertion of having tinnitus during service is not credible and thus service connection cannot be established.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to active service for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, or headaches. The veteran's claims were denied.