Hearing loss decisions — 2008

The VA determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable disability rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbar spine traumatic arthritis, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim for hearing loss. The veteran's claim for increased rating for his lumbar spine disability was remanded.

The VA determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable evaluation, as it only manifests Level I hearing acuity in both ears.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD. The decision found that there was no evidence of a current disability related to service for any of these conditions.

The veteran's disabilities do not render him in need of regular aid and attendance or permanently housebound, thus his claim for special monthly pension is denied.

The Board denied a disability rating greater than 10 percent for tinnitus and denied entitlement to a disability rating greater than 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss.

The veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus type 2 and hearing loss, are granted based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his Vietnam-era service.

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss did not manifest during service or within one year thereafter, and there was no evidence of a nexus between his military service and his current condition. The Board concluded that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claim for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation by reason of the need for regular aid and attendance of another person or due to being housebound.

The veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and he did not have qualifying service for VA pension benefits. The appeal is denied in all issues.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and low back disabilities are not service-connected, as there is no clear evidence of in-service onset or aggravation. The claim for a low back disability was granted.

The veteran's claim of entitlement to a higher rating for his bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a proper VA audiological examination.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss did not warrant a compensable rating, as his puretone thresholds were within noncompensable limits.

The Board denied all claims for service connection, finding no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's claimed conditions to his military service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including verification of in-service stressors and examination to determine the nature and etiology of his current Meniere's disease.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for endocarditis, tinnitus, and left ear hearing loss. The issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of service connection for right ear hearing loss is also being remanded.,No effective date was provided in this decision.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's heart disease is aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and tinnitus is due to noise exposure in service. The appeal for these conditions is granted.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus was denied as there is no competent and credible evidence of current disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, and therefore grants the claim for service connection.