Hearing loss decisions — 2005

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the appellant's employment history and need for further examination.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated by service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and hypertension, finding that these conditions were not related to his military service or did not manifest within one year of discharge.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to service. Therefore, the claims for service connection are denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional VA medical records and a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional evidence such as VA outpatient treatment records and Social Security Administration disability benefits information. The claim will be considered in light of guidelines established in VAOPGCPREC 3-2003.

The veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss from December 4, 2000, to January 31, 2005, and for a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss from February 1, 2005, was denied by the Board.

The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral lattice degeneration, service connection for bilateral glaucoma to include on a secondary basis, and service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a right knee disability, left knee disability, psychiatric disability, chronic headaches, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar and thoracic spine with disc protrusion at L5-S1 level and osteoporosis, costochondritis, and bilateral hearing loss. The initial evaluations were all 10 percent.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss was denied service connection as it did not manifest in service or within one year of separation. The left shoulder tendonitis and bursitis were granted a 20% rating effective November 13, 2003.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, resolving all doubts in favor of the veteran.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU rating as they are not sufficient to preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left ear hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated in service and is not related to any exposure basis. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were first clinically manifest many years after his discharge from active service in January 1956, and there is no competent evidence showing a direct relationship to disease or injury in active service. As such, the claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has determined that an extra-schedular evaluation for the service-connected bilateral hearing loss is not warranted, as the veteran's disability does not present such an exceptional or unusual picture as to render impractical the application of the regular schedular standards.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a certificate of eligibility for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile and adaptive equipment, or for adaptive equipment only.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hearing loss disability is causally related to noise exposure during active military service, and therefore grants service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and increased ratings for his lumbar spine and left shoulder disabilities.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence is not new and material, thus denying the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection of bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the hips, back, knees, and fingers due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions are related to his military service.