Hearing loss decisions — 2008

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus type II and service connection for left ear hearing loss. The veteran is currently on a restricted diet and takes oral medication for his diabetes, but does not take insulin or have any restrictions on activities. For the left ear hearing loss claim, the Board requested clarification from the February 2008 C&P examiner regarding whether it was less likely than not that the condition was related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable initial rating. The claim for service connection for tinnitus is remanded to obtain an opinion regarding its etiology.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and respiratory disability due to lack of evidence of current disabilities within the defined criteria.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a head injury, left inguinal hernia, and service-connected neck scar. The claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss before April 21, 2004 is granted with an evaluation of zero percent. The claim for service connection for hemorrhoids remains pending as new and material evidence has not been received. The claims for service connection for varicocelectomy scar are granted.

The Board has granted the reopening of the claim for service connection for a lumbar spine condition and found new and material evidence to support this claim. The other issues on appeal remain pending.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a Travel Board hearing at the local RO. The case will be returned to the Board after the hearing.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and examinations to assess the veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea and hypertension, as well as an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examination and consideration of his hearing loss disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral tinnitus, finding no evidence linking his current conditions to military service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss and left arm condition do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating, thus denying both claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss of the right ear and an increased disability rating for his left foot fracture, finding that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the hearing loss claim and denying a higher rating for the left foot fracture.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable evaluation under VA rating criteria, and thus denied an initial compensable evaluation.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew it prior to a decision being made.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including presbyopia (eye condition), hearing loss in the right ear, a left foot disorder, a right iliotibial band syndrome (claimed as right leg condition), rib contusion (claimed as right side disorder), benign prostatic enlargement with bladder outlet syndrome (claimed as frequent urination), and right shoulder strain have all been denied. The veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's current hearing loss was not present during service, within a year after separation from service, and is not etiologically related to active duty service or any incident therein. Therefore, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of whether an extraschedular evaluation is warranted.

The veteran developed hearing loss and tinnitus as a result of chemotherapy for his service-connected testicular cancer, which the Board finds to be proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disability.

The VA determined that the veteran's additional disability was not caused by carelessness, negligence, or lack of proper skill on the part of VA in providing medical treatment. The Board found no evidence to support a finding of fault and denied compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence linking her current hearing loss to service or any incident therein. The examiner opined that the mild hearing loss noted in 1960 was not related to noise exposure and could be attributed to other factors.