Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2009

The Board found that the preponderance of the competent evidence is against awarding service connection for tinnitus.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, alone, did not preclude him from engaging and retaining substantially gainful employment prior to January 3, 2003.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and hypertension, as there was no competent evidence of these conditions in service or within a year of discharge.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for tinnitus and otitis media with a healed perforated eardrum and vertigo, as the maximum schedular evaluations were already in place.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating under the applicable criteria.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension as there was no evidence of a nexus to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for a skin disorder and tinnitus as there was no evidence linking these conditions to the veteran's military service.

The veteran's prostate cancer is service-connected due to presumed exposure to herbicides, while his right ear hearing loss and hypertension are not. Tinnitus has been reopened and granted on the merits.

The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and heart disease manifested by a heart murmur are remanded for further development.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen a previously denied service connection for tinnitus, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The case is remanded for additional development and readjudication of the claims.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, tinnitus, hair loss, and swelling of the lymph nodes as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as the evidence did not show that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus but denied it for bilateral hearing loss, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the veteran regarding his tinnitus claim.

The veteran's claims for service connection for Hepatitis C Virus, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied as there was no medical evidence confirming the presence of these conditions.

The veteran is entitled to an earlier effective date of October 29, 2004 for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied service connection for tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a fracture of the right long finger, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus as there was no evidence of current disability or nexus to service.

The veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected tinnitus was denied as there is no legal basis to award separate ratings for each ear, and the maximum schedular rating available is 10 percent.