Hearing loss decisions — 2007

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated in active military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable due to the audiometric results not meeting the criteria for a compensable rating.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are denied. The right ear hearing loss claim is pending due to its inextricably intertwined nature with the left ear hearing loss claim.

The veteran's hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, with the Board finding that it does not warrant a higher rating based on current findings and review of the evidence.,For his postoperative recurrent right inguinal hernias, the Board determined that he is not entitled to an increased disability rating beyond 10 percent due to lack of evidence of a small recurrent postoperative hernia or un-operated irremediable hernia.

The veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss between October 25, 2002, and December 1, 2005, were denied as the claimed stressors remain unverified and there is no medical evidence linking current symptoms to a service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability warrants a rating of 10 percent, which is the maximum schedular evaluation available. Therefore, his claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and hearing loss, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the hearing loss claim.

The Board has granted service connection for a right ear conductive hearing loss disability, finding that it is likely due to an infectious process that began during the veteran's period of active service. Service connection for tinnitus was denied as there is no clear etiology provided by VA examiners. The initial rating claim for left ear hearing loss remains pending.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the veteran's current hearing impairment is causally related to his in-service noise exposure. The issue of service connection for tinnitus remains pending as it now hinges on whether the current tinnitus is related to service or another condition.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as they were first clinically indicated many years after discharge from active duty.

The Board has determined that the veteran's esophageal reflux disease and hearing loss are not related to his service-connected allergic rhinitis, and thus cannot be granted secondary service connection.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional VA treatment records and ensure all duty-to-assist obligations have been met.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for hearing loss in his right ear and a rating in excess of 30 percent for his duodenal ulcer with hiatal hernia, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for these ratings.

The Board found that the veteran's chronic otitis media with bilateral hearing loss pre-existed service and did not undergo a permanent increase in severity during active duty.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes in either ear, and therefore cannot establish service connection. The October 2006 VA examination report did not reveal left ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes.

The Board denied the veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for hearing loss in the left ear and denied his claim for an increased rating for hearing loss in the right ear.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for residuals of a left distal humerus fracture with degenerative joint disease was denied as his range of motion did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied because there is no current disability in either ear, and any potential service connection based on noise exposure is not supported by medical evidence.

The veteran is claiming earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, but the Board finds that no such claims were filed prior to August 1, 2003.,There was a denial of service connection for hearing loss in September 1969, which became final. The veteran did not file an appeal within one year of this decision.