Hearing loss decisions — 2008

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, which are denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's defective vision of the left eye, including ptosis, is not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing a superimposed injury or disease in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are causally related to acoustic trauma during his military service, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo and an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Board found that there was no evidence of a nexus between the veteran's current vertigo and his military service or service-connected otologic disabilities, and also concluded that the preponderance of the evidence did not support a higher rating for his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have hearing loss related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, while erectile dysfunction is not. The veteran was granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining reserve service records and verifying all periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA. The veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are being evaluated based on exposure to loud noises during service.

The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder disorder and increased the rating to 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss. The veteran's Morton's neuroma of the right foot was rated at 10 percent, effective March 4, 2005. The Board denied an increase in the rating for his right foot condition.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, which are rated at a combined level of 80 percent, are shown to be productive of an overall level social and industrial incapacity as to be found to preclude the veteran from performing all forms of substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not begin during service or as a result of military noise exposure, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to missing service medical records and the need for additional examination. The VA will provide notice regarding effective dates and disability evaluations, conduct a new examination, and consider all submitted evidence.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary to properly adjudicate all issues on appeal, including verifying the veteran's claims of helicopter crashes and examining his current conditions.

The Board finds that the veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are not attributable to incidents of military service, as there is no objective evidence demonstrating these conditions during or for many years after service separation.

The VA determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating under the applicable VA disability evaluation criteria.

The VA has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under the applicable rating schedule.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss was incurred in service and granted service connection for this condition. The claim for an initial compensable disability rating for asbestosis is pending.

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

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The evidence does not establish a link between these conditions and service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his left knee disorder, service connection for a left ankle disorder, postoperative residuals of left wrist ganglion cyst removal, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.