Hearing loss decisions — 2007

The veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The RO denied this claim in September 2004, and the case is now remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no current disability meeting VA criteria for a hearing loss or tinnitus condition. The Board also found that any potential noise exposure during service was less likely than not related to the veteran's current conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating as of his most recent VA audiological evaluation in February 2005. The right hand condition issue is pending and will be addressed during the remand process.

The Board finds that the veteran is not entitled to a compensable disability rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service and has denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted a 60 percent rating for lumbosacral strain with disc disease from March 20, 1999 to February 22, 2000. The veteran's left ear hearing loss is considered service-connected.

The veteran's right ear hearing loss claim was denied, but he received an effective date of August 1, 2001 for the award of service connection for lumbar strain, left hip bursitis, left knee tendonitis, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for right ear otitis media, perforation of the right ear tympanic membrane, and bilateral hearing loss have been denied. The highest possible rating has been assigned for each condition.

The veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability, nasopharyngeal cancer, and right femur fracture were denied. The claim to reopen the bilateral hearing loss disability was also denied due to lack of new and material evidence. Service connection for nasopharyngeal cancer was not established as it is not related to service. The veteran's right femur fracture did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for chronic vertigo, effective from February 2002. The veteran's bilateral hearing loss is already service-connected and not at issue in this decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran's sensorineural bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, including exposure to noise during active duty. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was granted, and he is now service-connected for post-traumatic arthritis of the right ankle due to pre-existing healed fractures of the lower right tibia and fibula. The decision does not address his claims for residuals of fractures of the tibia and fibula or a right knee disability.

The veteran's asthma, hearing loss, and tinnitus were not shown to be related to his service. The Board denied the claims of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hand disorders, disorders of the feet, disorders of the back, a skin disorder (claimed as a boil), hearing loss, and PTSD. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to military service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to outstanding medical records and the need for a VA audiological evaluation.

The veteran's service records show he had complaints of double vision shortly after entering military service, which was corrected by surgery. His hearing loss during service is also documented. The case is being remanded for further examination and development.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is not shown to be at a severity level that warrants a compensable rating under VA criteria. As such, the claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss is causally related to his military service.,The Board has also determined that the veteran's tinnitus is causally related to his military service or is associated with his sensorineural hearing loss.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss.,Regarding the claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and a sinus disability, the Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted.