Hearing loss decisions — 2007

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are causally related to his active service, including exposure to noise during service. As such, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability of chest pain, hearing loss, folliculitis of the neck, memory loss and difficulty with concentration, or fatigue. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, effective August 22, 2005. The veteran's claim was reopened and the rating assigned is 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss is at least in part caused by noise exposure during his military service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining military-retiree records and scheduling an audiological examination to determine the existence and etiology of any hearing loss and tinnitus.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss warrants a rating of 30 percent, which is the maximum available under current regulations.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of hearing loss during or within one year after service and that any current hearing loss is unrelated to military service.

The VA granted the veteran service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but assigned a noncompensable rating effective August 10, 2005.

The veteran's appeal was not timely filed, and the Board lacks jurisdiction to consider this issue.

The Board finds that the veteran's right ear hearing disability and tinnitus are likely due to exposure to acoustic trauma during service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board finds that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, as evidenced by credible testimony regarding inservice acoustic trauma and documented tinnitus and hearing loss meeting VA criteria. As a result, service connection for both conditions is granted.

The case is being remanded for additional development of medical records and examination to determine the etiology of the veteran's hearing loss and PTSD, as well as to assess their current severity.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable evaluation throughout the appeal period.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service, as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his time in service. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is sufficient evidence to support these conditions as being related to his military service. The decision also notes that the veteran had high frequency sensorineural hearing loss at the time of his discharge from the military.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, specifically noise exposure aboard an aircraft carrier. As a result, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and found that new and material evidence had not been submitted sufficient to reopen the claims of bilateral shoulder disability, right knee disability, right hand and fingers disability, lupus erythematosus, generalized degenerative arthritis, hypertension, Sjorgren's disease, stomach disability, prostate disability, residuals of a fractured right forefinger, and residuals of an injury to the left side. The veteran is seeking to reopen these claims.

The veteran's claim of service connection for hearing loss in the left ear is denied by operation of law.,The veteran's initial rating claims have been granted, with a 30 percent rating assigned for his right knee disability.