Hearing loss decisions — 2006

The veteran's claims for increased hearing loss, service connection for psychiatric disability, hypertension, and low back disability are being remanded due to the need for additional medical evidence and examination.

The Board is remanding the case to consider whether there was clear and unmistakable error in a 1982 rating decision, while also considering the issue of an earlier effective date for service connection.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board found that the veteran does not currently have a bilateral hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of increased rating for PTSD and entitlement to TDIU due to his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations. The veteran was not granted service connection for a headache condition, hypertension, low back disability, cervical spine disability, shoulder disability, or left ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, as there is no competent medical evidence linking his claimed conditions to his military service.

The Board found no evidence of current bilateral hearing loss or bilateral knee arthritis that is due to service. The veteran's claim for service connection was denied.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claims that his hearing loss and tinnitus were caused by service, including exposure to loud noise during military service. The preponderance of evidence is against both claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service and have therefore denied all claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and need for further examination.

The Board has determined that the threshold requirements for establishing service connection are not met, and therefore service connection for residuals of a left wrist injury is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, specifically hearing loss. The VA examination results do not meet the criteria for hearing loss as defined by VA regulations.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, nor may they be presumed to have been incurred therein. The preponderance of evidence is against a causal link between his hearing loss and any remote incident of service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for hepatitis C was denied as there is no clinical diagnosis of the condition. The claims for foot disability and hearing loss are addressed in a separate remand.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss during service or within the one-year presumptive period following discharge. The VA audiologist's opinion concluded that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service, including exposure to loud noise.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and military service. The preexisting high frequency hearing loss in the right ear was not aggravated during service, and there is no evidence of hearing loss in the left ear or tinnitus in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The VA has decided to remand the case for further examination and evaluation of the veteran's hearing loss claim.

The Board finds that the veteran's current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is likely due to noise exposure during his active service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and readjudication, including obtaining Reserve service medical records and scheduling a VA audiological evaluation.