Hearing loss decisions — 2008

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a scheduling issue for his Travel Board hearing. The case will be returned to the agency of original jurisdiction (RO) so that the Travel Board hearing can be rescheduled.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss, finding that it was incurred in service. However, the claim for tinnitus is denied as there is insufficient evidence to support a link between his military service and his condition.

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and may not be presumed to have been so incurred or aggravated.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 30 percent since March 14, 2007. The previous rating of noncompensable for the period from January 14, 2005 to March 13, 2007 is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining service personnel records and verifying the veteran's claimed stressors. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Board found that the veteran's depression is unrelated to his service-connected sick sinus syndrome, and denied both claims for hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and skin cancer as secondary to exposure to herbicides. The Board found that there was no evidence of current residuals of skin cancer, and that the veteran did not have a history of relevant treatment during service or ACDUTRA. The Board also noted that Agent Orange use at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in 1966-1967 is not one of the diseases eligible for service connection based on exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining records and scheduling an audiologist examination.

The veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for high frequency hearing loss was denied as his hearing acuity has remained relatively static and does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has dismissed the appellant's appeals as to his claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD is denied as the evidence does not show that the veteran's PTSD symptoms more closely approximate the criteria for a 50% rating.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at noncompensable, and he does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation pursuant to 38 C.F.R. § 3.324 based on multiple, noncompensable service-connected disabilities since May 3, 2006.

The Board granted a noncompensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and assigned an effective date of February 11, 2004, for the award of service connection for tinnitus.

The veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been fully resolved, with the RO granting such benefits in an August 2007 rating decision. The issues are therefore dismissed.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, a left knee disability, tinea cruris, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus as there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not begin during or as a result of his military service.

The Board has determined that the current VA audiological examination is inadequate and remands the case for a new examination to determine if the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected right shoulder injury was denied as the current disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board found no evidence of in-service hearing loss or tinnitus, and the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not shown to be related to service. Therefore, service connection for these conditions was denied.