Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2008

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

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a shrapnel wound to his right hand, and hypertension. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Board found no evidence of left ear hearing loss or tinnitus in service, and the medical evidence does not support a connection to service. The veteran's current conditions are attributed to private medical interventions rather than military noise exposure.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of in-service hearing loss or tinnitus, nor any nexus between current disabilities and service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or a link to service.

The RO has granted service connection for hearing loss of the left ear with a non-compensable evaluation and denied claims for hearing loss of the right ear, tinnitus, and COPD. The veteran is requested to schedule a videoconference hearing.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes and his tinnitus was not shown in service or related to noise exposure. Therefore, the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in service, as there was no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service. The VA examination reports did not support a finding of current hearing loss or tinnitus attributable to service. Therefore, the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied.

The veteran's hypertension is not rated higher than zero percent, and his tinnitus has the maximum schedular rating of ten percent. The Board finds no legal basis for a separate evaluation for each ear.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current sarcoidosis is etiologically related to exposure to smoke during active duty service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found no evidence of chronic conditions such as a skin disorder, left shoulder disorder, or hearing loss disabilities. The appellant's claims for service connection were denied.

The veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The case is remanded due to the lack of available service records and the need for a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, including noise exposure. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability or tinnitus, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to service. Therefore, service connection for both disabilities is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not due to disease or injury incurred in service, nor can they be presumed to have been incurred in service. Therefore, his claims for service connection for these conditions have been denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable initial rating. The claim for service connection for tinnitus is remanded to obtain an opinion regarding its etiology.

The Board has granted the reopening of the claim for service connection for a lumbar spine condition and found new and material evidence to support this claim. The other issues on appeal remain pending.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a Travel Board hearing at the local RO. The case will be returned to the Board after the hearing.

The veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is being remanded due to the need for further development and consideration of his statements regarding when he first experienced tinnitus.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral tinnitus, finding no evidence linking his current conditions to military service.