Hearing loss decisions — 2006

The veteran's tinnitus is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, and his bilateral hearing loss has a noncompensable rating. The RO granted service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's dental condition is not related to in-service trauma and denied his claim for service connection. The hearing loss and tinnitus issues are remanded for further development.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is rated at 80 percent from October 1, 1996 to March 16, 1998 and at 50 percent beginning on March 17, 1998. Service connection for hepatitis C with cirrhosis of the liver has been granted.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right and left feet were denied. The Board found that his conditions did not warrant a compensable rating for hearing loss or an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for either foot.

The Board has determined that the veteran's inoperable cerebral aneurysm and bilateral hearing loss do not warrant a compensable initial rating.

The VA determined that the veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a disability under VA regulations and therefore denied his claim.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's bilateral hearing loss, which was previously rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding that he did not meet the criteria for such a rating.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including vocal cord disability, hearing loss, tinnitus, headaches, and vision loss, are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of evidence.

The veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, tendonitis of the shoulder, burn on left hand, and hearing loss were denied. The claim for fracture of right little finger was granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a sinus disability and an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss. The veteran was not granted service connection for his claimed conditions, and his current ratings were found to be appropriate.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of in-service exposure to acoustic trauma and no evidence linking the condition to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated during military service, and may not be presumed to have been so incurred. The veteran's service-connected disabilities alone do not necessitate the care or assistance of another person on a regular basis to attend to the activities of daily living.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for TDIU, but he asserts that they merit TDIU on an extraschedular basis. The case is remanded to obtain a copy of the SSA decision and records considered in the decision granting disability benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and right ear hearing loss, as well as a higher rating for psoriasis. The evidence did not establish current disabilities that meet VA compensation criteria.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not timely perfect his appeal in regards to entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss. As a result, this issue is dismissed.

The veteran's appeal for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral tinnitus was withdrawn. The case is being remanded to the RO for further development regarding his claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board found that the veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his service, including noise exposure during active duty. The VA examiner concluded that these conditions were more likely due to post-service occupational noise exposure.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination and a supplemental statement of the case.