Hearing loss decisions — 2003

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The evidence suggests a link between the veteran's current hearing loss and his noise exposure during World War II service, but also indicates an association with heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss was incurred during his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board finds that the veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss is due to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to procedural issues and the need for additional medical examinations.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by active service. However, the veteran has a current disability of degenerative joint disease of the MTP joint of the right great toe that began during his active duty.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and degenerative joint disease and discogenic disease L5-S1 as secondary to his knee conditions. The claim for left ear hearing loss was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for Meniere's disease, finding that it is proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disability (otitis externa, hearing loss, and tinnitus).

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not service-related, and therefore grants service connection for this disability.

The case is being remanded to the RO so that the veteran can be scheduled for a video conference hearing at the RO conducted by a Member of the Board in Washington, D.C.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is incurred in active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected anxiety reaction with PTSD is granted, and he is now rated at 30 percent. The issue of reopening the tinnitus claim due to new evidence is also resolved in favor of the veteran.

The Board denied service connection for bipolar affective disorder, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and tinnitus due to lack of well-groundedness.

The Board has determined that further development is needed and the case must be remanded for compliance with VA's notification and development requirements.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have service connection for any of the claimed conditions, including PTSD, hearing loss, upper respiratory disorders, tonsillitis, hemorrhoids, low back injury, frostbite, ingrown toenails, numbness of hands, fracture of left thumb, right shoulder dislocation, left elbow disability, arthritis of the back and shoulders, hyperopia and presbyopia, chloracne (claimed as secondary to herbicide exposure), or acute/subacute peripheral neuropathy (claimed as secondary to herbicide exposure).

The Board found that the veteran's left ear hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under either the old or new VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied because no new and material evidence was submitted to reopen his previously denied claim.

The Board has restored the veteran's 90 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his hearing impairment was not due to an intercurrent injury and that he should receive this higher rating.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current disability manifested by hearing loss in the right ear or tinnitus, and denied his claims for service connection. The claim for a compensable evaluation for his service-connected hearing loss in the left ear was also denied.

The veteran's bilateral sensori-neural hearing loss was caused by acoustic trauma sustained during World War II, and the Board has granted service connection for this disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected, as it was incurred in or aggravated by military service. The skin disorder secondary to Agent Orange exposure is also found to be service-connected.