Hearing loss decisions — 2008

The veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus were determined to be related to his military service, while right ear hearing loss was not.

The veteran's anxiety disorder is manifested by impairment of memory, daily nightmares, disturbances of mood, near-constant anxiety, tangential speech, and a difficulty in maintaining effective work and social relationships. The Board finds that the criteria for a 50 percent rating are met.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was incurred in active service, but tinnitus was not incurred or aggravated during active service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for malaria, hypertension, and bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence supporting these conditions being incurred or aggravated during active service.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development of evidence related to the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the current level of disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus to the RO via the AMC for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there was no evidence of in-service acoustic trauma, current disability, or a nexus between the claimed disabilities and his military service. The claim for service connection for PTSD is being remanded to obtain corroborating evidence of an alleged stressor event.

The Board found that there was no clear and unmistakable error in the November 1954 rating decision or the February 1994 rating decision regarding the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating for tinnitus was denied as the 10 percent disability rating is the maximum schedular rating available under the applicable regulations.

The veteran's claim for an increased (compensable) rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not support a compensable disability rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, schizophrenia (previously evaluated as a personality disorder), bilateral tinnitus, low back disability, left ankle disability, chronic kidney failure, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, Type II, finding no evidence of in-service incurrence or aggravation and no medical nexus to service.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as he did not file a claim prior to February 25, 2004.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus to schedule an additional examination with a more accurate post-service noise exposure history.

The Board granted service connection for a mood disorder as secondary to the veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as the competent medical evidence did not indicate that it was related to in-service noise exposure or any other incident of military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded for further development, including a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus as the conditions were not shown to be related to the veteran's active military service.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, as the veteran's hearing impairment levels did not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining unit records and scheduling VA examinations.