Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2010

The Veteran's initial noncompensable evaluation for left ear hearing loss and service connection for tinnitus were granted. The Veteran has mild sensorineural hearing loss in the left ear, with no significant speech recognition difficulties.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes and finds no direct service connection is warranted. However, the Veteran's tinnitus was incurred in service.

The Veteran's application for Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance (RH) was denied because he did not file a timely application and, even if he had, he would have been ineligible due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of a current disability within one year after separation from service. The most probative medical evidence does not support a link between the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, PTSD, and residuals of shell fragment wounds to the back and right leg, as well as osteoarthritis of the right knee, preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment due to his education and occupational experience. The Board has determined that he meets the criteria for a TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for a neck disorder, nerve damage of the right arm, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus as there is no competent medical evidence showing these conditions are related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have decreased hearing or ringing in the ears during service and that there is no competent evidence of a compensable degree of bilateral hearing loss within one year following discharge. The Board also found that tinnitus was not attributable to service. Therefore, both claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic headache disorder was denied as there is no competent evidence of a current diagnosis. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, recurrent tinnitus, cardiac arrhythmia, chronic hypertension and coronary artery disease were also denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active duty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of mercury poisoning, hearing loss, tinnitus, organic brain injury, sinusitis, allergies, or headaches. As such, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for flat feet, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome was denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of current disabilities or a nexus to service.

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 of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and ear disability was granted, with the effective date set at August 26, 2009. The Veteran is now rated at 100 percent for these disabilities as of that date.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus and cold injury to the feet were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service. The Board denied both claims.

The Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected, and his ulcerative colitis and chronic peripheral neuropathy are presumed to be related to Agent Orange exposure. The fractured nose issue resulted in a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, specifically left knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The evidence shows no chronicity of symptoms since service and there is no medical opinion linking any current disabilities to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the inadequacy of a previous VA examination. A new examination is needed to determine if his hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service.

The Veteran's disabilities do not permanently prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and therefore, he is not entitled to non-service-connected pension benefits.