Hearing loss decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that the veteran's hearing loss, tinnitus, and right knee disability are not related to service. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, a skin disorder, hypercholesterolemia or high cholesterol, bilateral hearing loss, bladder disorder, retinal detachment, bilateral cataracts, and loss of eyesight, all claimed as due to exposure to Agent Orange. The Board found no evidence of in-service exposure to Agent Orange and thus denied presumptive service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The case is being remanded for the proper adjudication of 'staged' ratings, including locating and authenticating medical reports that are the bases for these ratings. Effective dates will also need to be addressed.

The Board finds that the evidence does not demonstrate that the veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation solely due to his service-connected disabilities, and therefore, entitlement to TDIU is denied.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and medical examinations to assess the veteran's hearing loss, PTSD, left foot disability, scar, and left hip/leg pain.

The veteran is seeking service connection for injuries to his right ear and bilateral hearing loss, which he claims are related to an in-service injury. The Board has ordered additional development including obtaining the veteran's service personnel records and any associated medical records from his time as a merchant mariner.

The veteran's initial service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted, but the RO failed to provide proper VCAA notice regarding higher rating claims. The case is being remanded to address this issue.

The Board finds that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is more likely than not due to his period of active military service, including exposure to noise during combat in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral high frequency hearing loss warrants a 20 percent evaluation, but not higher. The current rating is denied.

The veteran's tinnitus is found to be more likely than not secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, and thus service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss by aggravation and denied service connection for head injury residuals and PTSD. The veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities include Crohn's disease, neck pain, low back pain with radiculopathy, tinnitus, status post septoplasty with sinusitis and rhinitis, headaches, and major depression. The veteran does not meet the criteria for special monthly pension by reason of need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the service-connected hemorrhoids, effective from the date of the decision. The hearing loss disability remains at a non-compensable rating.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence showing the veteran has a bilateral knee disorder related to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder was denied.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a medical interpretation of his May 2003 audiogram results and a new VA audiological evaluation.

The Board found no evidence of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus during service and concluded that the current conditions are not related to military noise exposure. As a result, the veteran's claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new and material evidence. However, the claim is denied as there is no established link between the veteran's current hearing loss and his military service.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, concluding that these conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a rating in excess of 10 percent for hidradenitis suppurativa.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling examinations to determine if the veteran has left ankle, left knee, or hearing loss disabilities that are related to his military service.