Hearing loss decisions — 2007

The veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during service or an applicable presumptive period, and the post-service complaints are not related to his military noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disability, manifested by ligament laxity and early degenerative changes, is service-connected. The hearing loss claim was not substantiated as there is no current evidence of a hearing loss disability.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and evidence of work absences due to service-connected disability. The case will be returned to the Board after these actions are completed.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is at least as likely as not due to noise exposure in service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss is a current disability and was incurred during service due to in-service noise exposure, warranting service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of current disabilities or a nexus to active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The veteran's hearing acuity was not shown to have been worse than level II in the right ear and worse than level I in the left ear prior to September 27, 2004. The RO is instructed to schedule a VA audiological evaluation to determine the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from a U.S. Public Health Service Hospital and arranging for a VA examination to determine if the veteran's current hearing loss, tinnitus, and postoperative right ear injury are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to noise exposure during his military service, warranting service connection. However, there is no medical evidence linking the current tinnitus to his service.

The Board finds that the veteran's hearing loss is due to acoustic trauma in service, and grants service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to missing service medical records and a need for an audiometry examination.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disorder, and evaluations for degenerative disc disease at L5-S1 and a left ankle strain with instability and limitation of motion. The appeal is pending before the Board.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, were not incurred or aggravated by service. The residuals of a shell fragment wound to the left shin and cold injury to the hands, face, and feet are also denied as there is no evidence of such disabilities during service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The RO found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his service-connected conditions.

The veteran's appeal was dismissed because he died before a final decision could be made.

The Board found that there is no evidence of hearing loss at the time of separation from service, and no evidence of continuity of symptomatology. The VA examinations did not find a nexus between current bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus and service.

The veteran's claim for an effective date prior to August 14, 2002 for the grant of service connection is dismissed. The Board finds that he did not timely file a NOD seeking an earlier effective date.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure. The heart condition and pulmonary condition (claimed as asbestosis) claims remain pending.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for hearing loss, PTSD, and infectious hepatitis were denied. The RO will need to obtain the full report of the July 2004 VA liver, gall bladder, and pancreas examination.