Hearing loss decisions — 2003

The Board has ordered further development in the veteran's case, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination to determine if the veteran's hearing loss and psychiatric disorder are related to his military service.

The Board has ordered further development in the veteran's case, including obtaining Surgeon General's Office records and arranging for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any gastrointestinal disability (including ulcers and diarrhea) and hearing loss.

The Board has received notification from the appellant that they wish to withdraw their appeal, and as a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was granted, and the effective date is set at August 31, 1977.

The Board has ordered further development due to the need for additional evidence and clarification. The case is now being remanded back to the RO for the requested development.

The Board found that the appellant's left knee disorder, back injury, cervical myositis, bilateral varicose veins, hypertension, and bilateral hearing loss are not service-connected. The assigned disability ratings for his left knee disorder were upheld at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed disabilities, including hearing loss, knee and hip pain, nightmares and nervousness, and gout, were not incurred or aggravated during active military service. The claim is denied.

The Board has restored a 10 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was sustained material improvement in the disability and that it is reasonably certain to be maintained under ordinary conditions of daily life.

The Board found that the veteran does not have current hearing loss or ear disability that was incurred in service. The pre-existing bilateral ear condition, including conductive hearing loss and eustachian tube dysfunction, was determined to be present prior to service and not aggravated by military service.

The veteran's claims for compensable initial disability ratings for chronic nonsuppurative otitis media with left ear hearing loss and left tympanic membrane perforation were denied. Her claim for a 10 percent evaluation based on multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities under 38 C.F.R. � 3.324 was also denied.

The VA determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is no more than 0 percent disabling based on the results of a June 2002 audiometric evaluation.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss disability for VA purposes and denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the veteran's service connection for bilateral hearing loss, including potential exposure to acoustic trauma in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected due to exposure to loud noises during his military service.

The VA granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but assigned noncompensable disability ratings. The veteran's malaria rating remains unchanged.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD, hearing loss, or tinnitus. Therefore, service connection for these conditions cannot be granted.

The veteran's claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical evidence and ensure compliance with VCAA requirements. The VA will schedule the veteran for an examination to determine if his current headaches are related to service or his cervical spine disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for headaches, bilateral hearing loss, residuals of left inguinal hernia repair, residuals of postoperative nasal septoplasty, and bilateral renal nephrocalcinosis with hypertension. The preponderance of evidence did not support a higher rating in any of these cases.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by active service, and thus denied these claims. The Board found no evidence of perforated eardrum.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claim for a total disability evaluation based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities can be fully adjudicated.