Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2008

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation by reason of the need for regular aid and attendance of another person or due to being housebound.

The veteran's vertigo is currently rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum available under VA guidelines. His chronic lumbar strain with degenerative changes and thoracic pain is rated at 20 percent since October 17, 2006.,Service connection for a disability of the right shoulder has been denied.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the veteran's currently diagnosed tinnitus is related to service. As a result, service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including verification of in-service stressors and examination to determine the nature and etiology of his current Meniere's disease.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for endocarditis, tinnitus, and left ear hearing loss. The issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of service connection for right ear hearing loss is also being remanded.,No effective date was provided in this decision.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining treatment records from the Guam Vet Center and issuing a statement of the case regarding his claims for hypertension secondary to PTSD and tinnitus.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's heart disease is aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and tinnitus is due to noise exposure in service. The appeal for these conditions is granted.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus was denied as there is no competent and credible evidence of current disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus is proximately due to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, and thus grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Board finds that the veteran's left shoulder and bilateral knee disorders are not related to his period of active service. The claim for tinnitus is granted as credible evidence indicates it may be due to acoustic trauma during military service.,Service connection for a left shoulder disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss in his right ear and tinnitus, finding no current disability related to active service. The claim for an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss was also denied.,The decision did not address any presumption-based theories of service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his period of active service. The evidence did not show a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to unclear etiology of the veteran's right ear tympanic perforation and disease process, as well as the relationship between his hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and denied his claim for service connection for a pulmonary disorder. Service connection was established for tinnitus due to noise exposure during service, while the pulmonary disorder claim was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to asbestos or chemical exposure.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, depression, and PTSD due to a lack of competent medical evidence associating these conditions with his military service. The Board found that the veteran did not engage in combat with an enemy, which means his stressors must be corroborated by other sources.

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

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including VA examinations to determine if the veteran currently has left ear hearing loss and tinnitus that are related to service. The psychiatric claim is also being remanded.

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