Hearing loss decisions — 2008

The VA has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating since the grant of service connection, based on audiometric testing results.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of such conditions during or within one year after service. The VA examiner found no nexus between current hearing loss and service exposure, while the private physician opined in favor of a relationship based on noise exposure during service. As neither opinion was probative due to lack of contemporaneous medical records, the Board denied both claims.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA audiological examination to determine the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and a retained foreign body in his left cornea, residual shell fragment wound. The right knee disability claim was not addressed as it did not involve service connection. Service connection for alcohol and drug abuse and cirrhosis of the liver were also denied.

The Board is remanding the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete service records and need for medical opinions.,The Board is also remanding the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete service records and need for medical opinions.,The Board is further remanding the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete service records and need for medical opinions.,The Board is additionally remanding the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete service records and need for medical opinions.,The Board is also remanding the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete service records and need for medical opinions.,The Board is further remanding the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete service records and need for medical opinions.,The Board is additionally remanding the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete service records and need for medical opinions.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and medical documentation relied upon in the award of disability benefits.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not presumed to have been incurred due to noise exposure. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and residuals of a tonsillectomy, finding no evidence of current disabilities related to the veteran's service.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there was no evidence of such conditions during service. The VA examiner concluded that it is less likely than not that the veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and bronchitis. The evidence does not support a diagnosis of PTSD, and there is no clear and unmistakable evidence that any of these conditions were pre-existing or aggravated by service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, residuals of a right arm fracture, residuals of a head injury, and loss of teeth. The evidence did not support these claims as they were either not shown to be related to service or due to herbicide exposure.

The veteran's appeal for more than a single, 10 percent rating for tinnitus was denied. The claim for TDIU is remanded and will be addressed in the remand that follows.

The veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, vision disability (macular degeneration), chronic skin disorder, prostate disorder, and low back disorder were denied as not related to his active service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and providing proper notification.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the veteran's claims for service connection, including obtaining medical records and conducting an audiological examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have hearing loss or tinnitus as a result of service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that neither condition warranted a higher rating under VA regulations.

The VA determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including a VA audiological examination and an opinion on whether the veteran's current hearing loss is related to service.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss was granted a 20 percent rating, but the claims for PTSD and headaches were denied.