Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Board finds that the veteran's tinnitus is likely due to noise exposure during service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for service-connected tinnitus, finding that he is already receiving the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for gastrointestinal reflux disease, bilateral athlete's foot, and tinnitus have been denied. The RO has not assigned a compensable evaluation for the veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease since March 6, 2000 to June 12, 2001, or from June 13, 2001 onwards. A separate rating for tinnitus affecting both ears is also denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD. The evidence does not support a diagnosis of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and did not reopen the claim for congenital stenosis of the ear canals with otitis externa due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for tinnitus. The veteran's testimony at his personal hearing, along with a statement from a fellow serviceman, is considered significant in deciding the merits of the claim. It is concluded that the veteran's tinnitus is likely due to acoustic trauma suffered during service.

The Board has granted a rating of 10 percent for chronic suppurative otitis media with tinnitus and assigned a separate 10 percent evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, effective as of June 10, 1999. The veteran's service-connected conditions are not considered to be due to exposure to burn pits, Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune, radiation, Gulf War, or any other specific basis.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and vertigo, finding that these conditions are causally related to the veteran's exposure to acoustic trauma during his military service.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for service connection and earlier effective date for post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an effective date prior to March 11, 1996 for tinnitus and for an earlier effective date than September 28, 1999 for his service-connected low back disability.

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not causally related to his active service, including noise exposure. As a result, the veteran is denied entitlement to service connection for these conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in service, and hypertension was not secondary to tinnitus. The claims for these conditions were therefore denied.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating of tinnitus, and the Board dismissed the appeal.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, effective July 17, 1990, and August 14, 1997, respectively. The effective dates requested by the veteran are denied.

The veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to service, specifically the use of antimalarial medication and exposure to noise during active duty service. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board denied service connection for several conditions, finding that the appellant's period of active duty was discharged under dishonorable conditions due to willful and persistent misconduct. The Board also found that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by service.

The veteran has withdrawn his appeal for the denial of service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, tinnitus, right lower extremity nerve damage, and back injury residuals.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD and tinnitus render him unable to secure or maintain gainful employment, meeting the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at the Mollen Clinic during November 2000 is denied as there was no emergent condition warranting VA treatment and VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of tinnitus, finding no clear and unmistakable error in the April 1946 rating decision that did not consider tinnitus as a condition. The criteria for an earlier effective date were also not met.