Hearing loss decisions — 2004

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection of right ear hearing loss due to new and material evidence. However, further development is needed as a VA examination is required to determine the nature and etiology of the claimed condition.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral otitis media, perforated tympanic membranes, and related disabilities. The issues of entitlement to service connection are now remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current skin, urinary tract infection, eye, vein, and peripheral neuropathy disabilities. The veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss is reopened.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected, and he was granted a 10 percent rating for his tinnitus. The appeal regarding the initial disability rating for tinnitus is denied.

The evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether the veteran's hearing loss is related to service, and therefore, the benefit of the doubt rule requires that his claim for entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss be granted.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a hearing before a member of the Board at a local RO. The issues of service connection for right elbow disability, hearing loss, and mouth injury are pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA audiological examination to determine the etiology of the veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence linking his current hearing loss to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and assigned a 10 percent disability rating effective March 26, 2003. The initial compensable rating was denied prior to that date.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, left perforated ear drum, and right ear hearing loss. The RO found no new and material evidence to reopen these previously denied claims.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for PTSD, hearing loss, otitis externa, and tinnitus due to new evidence submitted by the veteran. However, further development is needed to verify the in-service exposure that could support these claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for effective dates prior to March 30, 2001 for service connection of bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus. The veteran did not file a formal or informal claim for these conditions before March 30, 2001.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and a need to obtain additional evidence from alternative sources.

The veteran's tinnitus disability was separated from his service-connected otitis media and he was granted a separate 10 percent rating effective June 10, 2004.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current headache disorder, anxiety disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are all service-connected as they are linked to his inservice head injury.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and right ear hearing loss, finding no current disability in either case.

The Board found that the RO's initial grant of service connection for nicotine addiction and chronic bronchitis was clearly erroneous, and thus severed this service connection. The veteran does not have hypertension or heart disease related to military service or service-connected disability. He also does not have an acquired psychiatric disability, hearing loss, tinnitus, headaches, or dizziness that are related to military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and hearing loss are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of evidence.