Hearing loss decisions — 2007

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the veteran engaged in combat with the enemy during his active military service. The evidence supports a link between these conditions and exposure to noise from enemy gunfire during service.

The Board finds that the veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, with the benefit of doubt given to the veteran.

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

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss due to new evidence presented since June 2004. However, the claim is still denied as there is no competent medical evidence showing that the current right ear hearing loss is related to military service.

The veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of occupational impairment due to the condition, and the current noncompensable evaluation adequately reflects the clinically established impairment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating under VA disability evaluation criteria, and thus denied his claim for an increased initial rating.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service and may not be presumed to have been incurred or aggravated in service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have hearing loss or tinnitus that is related to his military service.

The veteran died in July 2005 from gall bladder cancer. The Board found no evidence linking the cause of death to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's rating schedule, and thus denied his claim.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions did not manifest during or are otherwise related to his military service.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain specific dates of active duty and inactive duty for training after the veteran's period of active duty ended in June 1970, as well as to schedule the veteran for a VA examination to evaluate his hearing loss.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, post-operative residuals of surgery for strabismus, thrombocytopenia, and thyroid disorder have all been denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions. The veteran's hepatitis C has also been rated at 30% since October 1, 2000.

The veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of hypertension, headaches, sprain/tendonitis of the left ankle, hearing loss, and respiratory disorder as due to an undiagnosed illness were dismissed because she did not timely file a substantive appeal. The Board does not have jurisdiction over these matters.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected, as there is no evidence of pre-service hearing impairment and the current hearing loss is related to military noise exposure. However, the claim for tinnitus cannot be granted as there is insufficient evidence linking it to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his left shoulder scar, atrial hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and granuloma of the left lung as they did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that his sleep apnea was incurred in service but not meeting current disability criteria for bilateral hearing loss. The thoracolumbar spine issues were addressed separately with a single rating assigned.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The veteran's tinnitus is related to in-service acoustic trauma and was diagnosed during service. However, the Board found no evidence of a nexus between his current bilateral hearing loss and service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of such conditions during or within one year after service. The examiner opined that any current left eye condition is not related to his right eye disability.,Service connection was also denied for a left eye condition secondary to the service-connected macular scar of the right eye with optic nerve atrophy, as there is no evidence linking this condition to service or the veteran's right eye disability.

The Board has denied service connection for chronic bilateral hearing loss disability and chronic tinnitus, finding that the evidence does not support a link to active service.