Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case to consider whether service connection for tinnitus is warranted as secondary to a service-connected hearing loss disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and bilateral tinnitus are service-connected, based on in-service noise exposure and continuity of treatment post-service.

The veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for tinnitus and service connection for chronic sleep impairment are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining missing military records and medical evidence.

Service connection for tinnitus was granted with an effective date of June 28, 2000.,A 10 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss was granted with an effective date of September 9, 2002.

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

The veteran's claim for a separate 10 percent rating for his service-connected tinnitus was denied as the condition is already receiving the maximum allowable rating under applicable criteria.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is already assigned the maximum rating of 10 percent, and therefore no legal basis exists for a separate evaluation in each ear.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is assigned a maximum 10 percent rating, and there is no legal basis for an evaluation in excess of this.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling, which is the maximum rating authorized under Diagnostic Code 6260. There is no legal basis for an increased schedular evaluation.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent, the maximum rating authorized under DC 6260. There is no legal basis for a higher evaluation.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to inadequate examination in the original decision. A new VA examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and providing the veteran with proper VCAA notice.

The veteran withdrew his claim for service connection for tinnitus, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to consider this appeal.

The veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was denied as the condition is already assigned the maximum schedular evaluation.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's tinnitus to his military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected hearing disabilities have rendered him unemployable under VA guidelines, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on this.

The Board finds that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are due to acoustic trauma during service, and grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus in service, and the medical evidence did not support a link between current conditions and active service. The acquired psychiatric disorder was also not linked to service.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus is already receiving the maximum evaluation of 10 percent, which is the highest rating available under VA regulations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.