Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2010

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus due to additional development being required.

The Board has remanded the case due to unverified periods of active duty and ASW after service in 1959. The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus will be further evaluated based on this information.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, abdominal scar post-Caesarian section, and right wrist tendonitis. The Veteran was granted service connection for these conditions but denied an initial compensable evaluation for migraine headaches.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus due to a lack of competent medical evidence showing a causal connection between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have hearing loss or tinnitus that was incurred in service, and therefore denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU benefits was denied as there is no evidence of unemployability prior to December 13, 2007. The RO found that the Veteran did not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU before this date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the current disability ratings adequately reflect their severity.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's right hand disability necessitates the need for regular aid and attendance, but he does not meet the criteria for SMP based on housebound status.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between his military service and his current condition. The Board also noted that diabetes mellitus, which the Veteran claimed as secondary to his tinnitus, is not service-connected.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 90 percent, and he does not meet the criteria for SMC based on need for aid and attendance or being housebound due to his physical disabilities. He also does not qualify for specially adapted housing benefits.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of such conditions during or immediately after service. The decision concludes that it is less likely than not that these conditions are due to service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus to the RO for additional development.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service, and the Veteran did not seek treatment for these conditions until approximately 20 years after separation from active duty. Therefore, the claims for bilateral hearing loss and recurrent tinnitus were denied as not established by service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of in-service acoustic trauma. The Board also found that the Veteran's tinnitus was not proximately due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 29, 2005, for the grant of service connection for PTSD and tinnitus was denied as there is no evidence that he filed a formal or informal claim before this date.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral eye disability, hearing loss, tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disorder (including bipolar and schizophrenia), and left ankle strain. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or aggravation, and that any current hearing loss and tinnitus were not related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and found that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active military service. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is remanded due to lack of recent VA medical records.