Hearing loss decisions — 2007

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, specifically regarding bilateral hearing loss and chronic knee disabilities. The claims are denied.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability and concluded that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service, including noise exposure.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating, and his service-connected tinnitus is already at its maximum schedular rating. Therefore, both claims are denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for chronic bilateral hearing loss disability, chronic osteoarthritis with arthralgia, gout, and chronic hypertension are all denied as there is no evidence of these conditions during active service or within one year post-service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and residuals of a jaw injury. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus during service or for years thereafter, and the veteran's current conditions are not linked to his active military service. The claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for a chronic acquired psychiatric disability was denied as well.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for right ear hearing loss and bilateral hearing loss were denied as the evidence did not show that his disability warranted a compensable rating under VA's schedular criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and tinea pedis. Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss, skin rash of the chest and upper back, and a disability manifested by chronic urinary tract infections.

The veteran's asbestos-related pleural disease does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. His bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and finds that new evidence supports a finding that the veteran's current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is related to his military service.

The Board found service connection for skin cancer but denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss.

The case is being remanded for further development of the veteran's service medical records.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss for VA compensation purposes and therefore denied his claim.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus in the left ear for many years following service, and thus cannot establish service connection.

The Board has denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and eligibility for dependents' educational assistance under Chapter 35, as there is no evidence linking any service-connected disability to a vital organ or contributing substantially to the veteran's death.

The Board found no chronic left ear disorder other than the service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.,For bilateral hearing loss, the veteran's current disability rating is zero percent under Diagnostic Code 6100.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for entitlement to an initial evaluation higher than 10 percent for tinnitus due to withdrawal by the appellant. The issues of bilateral hearing loss and Meniere's syndrome with vertigo are remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which may be related to service. The case will be remanded for a VA examination.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities (anxiety, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus) do not render him unemployable due to their severity. The Board found that the veteran is capable of maintaining substantially gainful employment despite his anxiety symptoms and hearing loss.