Hearing loss decisions — 2008

The veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes and right ear hearing loss were denied, as was his request for an increased disability rating for migraine headaches. The effective date of the grant of an increased disability rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine remained November 27, 2000.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there was no evidence supporting a relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus, finding that the veteran's in-service noise exposure was a contributing factor to both conditions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as the claim to reopen a prior denial of service connection for chronic lung disorder. The veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 was also denied.

The Board found that the preponderance of the evidence is against service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied the veteran's petitions to reopen claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but restored a 30 percent rating for atopic dermatitis from September 1, 2006, to September 29, 2006. The reduction of the rating was ultimately upheld as of September 30, 2006.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of evidence showing current disabilities meeting VA criteria.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for soft tissue sarcoma, bilateral hearing loss, and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not related to his active duty service.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the veteran's preexisting high frequency hearing loss was aggravated during his active service.

The veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the medical evidence showed Level I hearing loss in each ear, which did not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a new examination and potentially additional evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss as there was no evidence of a pre-service hearing disability, and no evidence that his current hearing loss was aggravated by military service.

The appeal is remanded for additional development due to the need for a Travel Board hearing.

The appeal is remanded to obtain a more comprehensive VA examination regarding the veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, finding no evidence of an in-service injury or disease that caused the veteran's current hearing loss.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, chondromalacia of the left knee, and injury residuals of the left eye were denied as the evidence did not support a higher evaluation.

The evidence presented since a July 1998 rating decision relates to an unestablished fact and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim of service connection for hearing loss of the left ear. However, the veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is not shown to be due to noise exposure or another event or incident of the veteran's period of active service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, left shoulder, right knee, and back disorders were denied. However, the claims for a right shoulder disorder, headaches, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, and bilateral hearing loss were granted.

The Board concluded that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.