Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for compensable ratings of his service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The RO has remanded the case to clarify which specific rating decisions are in error and what effective dates he believes should be assigned.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities were not incurred during active duty service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board finds that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service, with the VA audiologist concluding they are more likely age-related than noise-induced.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor could they be presumed to have been incurred due to noise exposure during service. The evidence did not establish a link between the veteran's current conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus, and thus cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a shoulder disorder, an eye disorder, a tooth disorder, and a right lower extremity disability manifested by numbness. Service connection was granted for Addison's disease secondary to the veteran's service-connected low back disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his claim for an increased rating for residuals of scalp laceration. The evidence did not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of current hearing loss meeting VA standards.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability of the left ear, headaches, or chest pain. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus resulted from disease or injury in service, warranting service connection.

The veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for tinnitus was granted, with a rating of 10 percent effective from November 26, 1989. The hearing loss claim remains at noncompensable.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to aggravation of a pre-existing condition and for tinnitus, finding that the veteran's MOS as a vehicle mechanic exposed him to noise during service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, chronic ear infections, and bilateral hearing loss as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a link to military service.

The RO denied the veteran's claims for an effective date prior to July 23, 2003 for service connection for tinnitus and a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a BVA hearing at a local VA office.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeal because his timely substantive appeal was not filed within one year of the April 2001 denial and over sixty days after he received a statement of the case. The right ankle arthritis claim is also dismissed as there is no evidence to support service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the appellant's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his time in service, specifically due to acoustic trauma during military service. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the veteran's current hearing loss is related to his military service. However, there is no evidence of tinnitus during or after service, and thus service connection for tinnitus was denied.