Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2009

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his service, and therefore denied these claims.

The Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or caused by his active military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of recurrent or persistent tinnitus and that any etiology is not related to military noise exposure.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus did not have onset in service or within one year of service, nor were they caused by his active service. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus originated during his active service, and thus grants service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied, as well as his claims for increased ratings for bronchial asthma and herniotomy residuals. The RO found no relationship between the Veteran's current conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly assess the Veteran's claims, including obtaining service treatment records and Social Security Administration disability benefits information. The Veteran should be afforded a VA examination for his hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, nor may they be presumed to have been so incurred or aggravated. The Veteran's PTSD is currently manifested by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and the effective date prior to September 10, 2004, for tinnitus has been addressed. The Veteran's claim for a proper amount of his February 2005 VA disability compensation payment is being referred to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC) in Washington, DC.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, right foot disorder, left shoulder disorder, low back strain, and left hallux valgus deformity were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder condition and a back condition, as well as his claims for glaucoma, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The evidence submitted since the November 2001 rating decision did not provide new and material evidence to reopen any of these claims.

The Board has remanded the case for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining an addendum to a previous medical opinion and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were denied, as neither condition was present in service or related to service. The claim for a compensable rating for residuals of malaria is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current hearing loss disability as defined by VA standards and therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. For tinnitus, the Board finds that there is sufficient evidence to support a finding of in-service noise exposure leading to current tinnitus, thus granting service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was denied. The Veteran is currently receiving the maximum schedular rating available for his service-connected conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claim for gum disease was denied as it is not a compensable condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate evidence and the need for additional VA treatment records, updated income information, and a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Board found no evidence of tinnitus in service or after service, and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.