Hearing loss decisions — 2007

The veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he attributes to in-service acoustic trauma and medication. The case is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability of right ear hearing loss as defined by VA standards, and therefore cannot grant service connection for this condition.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's bilateral hearing loss to his military service and denied the claim.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right foot/ankle condition and bilateral hearing loss. The right foot/ankle issue is granted as secondary to her service-connected residuals of a right femur fracture, but no rating or effective date will be assigned due to lack of compensable disability. The bilateral hearing loss claim is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not have its onset during active duty and is not presumed to have been incurred in active military service. The VA audiologist concluded that his hearing loss was more likely than not related to post-service noise exposure and history of meningitis.

The Board found that the veteran's additional hearing loss and deformity of the right ear were not caused by VA fault or foreseeability, thus denying compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability. The appellant does not meet the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The VA determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability does not warrant a compensable evaluation, as his most recent audiometric testing did not meet the criteria for any higher rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, as there is no competent evidence showing a nexus between these conditions and noise exposure in service. As such, the claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, allergies, eye disability, right foot disability, and low back injury. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his military service. The VA examiner found that the veteran's hearing loss is more likely due to natural progression over time rather than service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development of evidence regarding employment audiological evaluations from 1975 to the present. The veteran must provide names of treatment providers and sources for these records, which will be obtained by the RO.

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of residuals of a left knee injury, bilateral shin splints, right ankle sprain, low back pain, or bilateral hearing loss. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral ear disorder, including hearing loss; residuals of gangrene of the legs; and residuals of bilateral trenchfoot and frostbite. The evidence does not support these claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to a need for additional evidence, including a VA otolaryngological examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left ear hearing loss and PTSD were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board found no nexus between the veteran's current conditions and his military service.

The veteran's low back disability is rated at 60 percent, and he meets the threshold requirements for a total rating based on individual unemployability as of February 1999. The veteran has been found unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VCAA notice, and the veteran's claim for service connection of bilateral hearing loss is still pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service, as there is no evidence of such conditions within one year post-service. The VA examiner concluded that the current hearing loss and tinnitus are less likely than not related to his time in military service.