Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2009

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as well as effective dates prior to certain dates.

The Veteran's claim for an increased initial rating for bilateral hearing loss was withdrawn, and service connection for tinnitus was granted.

The Board found 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 Veteran did not file a timely substantive appeal for any of the issues related to service connection, and the Board is without jurisdiction to review these matters.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus as there was no evidence of chronicity or continuity of symptomatology since service, and a negative etiological opinion from a VA examiner.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development and consideration of the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a skin disability, to include chloracne.

The appeal was dismissed for the issue of a disability rating greater than 10 percent for bilateral tinnitus. The claim to reopen service connection for degenerative changes of the lumbar spine was granted, and the Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability was manifested by level I hearing acuity in both ears, and the service-connected bilateral tinnitus is assigned a 10 percent rating, which is the maximum rating authorized under Diagnostic Code 6260.

The Veteran's service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent, and he is not entitled to service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there was no evidence of a disability during or within one year after service, and the current conditions were not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but denied reopening of the claim for a bilateral eye disability. The Board also granted service connection for GERD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and a disorder of both legs are being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a bilateral hip disorder, a bilateral knee disorder, a back disorder, a bilateral ankle disorder, asthma, and emphysema were denied as there was no evidence of current disability or a link to service.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus as the evidence did not show that either condition was incurred or aggravated during active duty.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claim for tinnitus and that there was no medical evidence linking either condition to his active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or a link to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, gait ataxia, and bilateral tinnitus as there was no evidence of a chronic disability during service or within one year of discharge, nor any competent medical opinion linking these conditions to his active duty.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were granted based on the evidence showing that his current conditions are related to his military service.

The Board remands the claim for a VA medical examination to clarify the etiology of any current tinnitus and determine if it is related to service.