Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2008

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral tinnitus and for reopening a previously denied claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as whether these conditions are related to his service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus are being remanded due to an inadequate audiological examination.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, including noise exposure during combat. The claims were granted.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder or tinnitus, and there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service. As such, the claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for any of the veteran's claimed disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral hip disability, trench foot residuals, hearing loss, tinnitus, and hydrocele.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and retaining all forms of substantially gainful employment.

The veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and PTSD were denied. The RO found that the current ratings are appropriate based on the evidence of record.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the submission of additional evidence that has not been considered by the RO. The case will be returned for further development and readjudication.

The veteran's Behcet's Syndrome is rated at 60 percent for skin manifestations, with additional ratings assigned for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (50%), tongue lesions (30%), and neuropathy of the lower extremities (20% each). The adjustment disorder is noncompensable.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, broken nose, arthritis of the back and pelvis, and arthritis of the right big toe and foot, were not incurred or aggravated by active service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding in favor of any theory of service connection.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by his military service, as there was no evidence of current disabilities within one year post-service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, and therefore denied both claims.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus is assigned the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent, and there are no exceptional circumstances warranting a higher evaluation.

The veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus were denied in July 1996, but he did not receive the denial letter at his address of record. He filed a new claim for increased rating for left ear hearing loss on January 31, 2003, which was interpreted as an attempt to reopen his right ear hearing loss and tinnitus claims.,The veteran's attempts to reopen his right ear hearing loss and tinnitus claims were denied in March 2004. He filed a new claim for tinnitus on August 31, 2005.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus. Service connection for right shoulder impingement is denied.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as the current assigned ratings of 20% and 10%, respectively, are considered appropriate based on the audiometric test results.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is not as likely as not due to exposure to acoustic trauma during his military service and there is no evidence of a nexus between his active military service and his current tinnitus.