Hearing loss decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service. Therefore, service connection for both conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to decide the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral knee disabilities, thoracolumbar spine disability, hearing loss, and left shoulder disability are all related to service. The appeals for these conditions have been granted.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for hearing loss disability of the left ear and found that new and material evidence has been received. However, the claim is denied as the preexisting hearing loss did not increase in severity during service.

The Board has ordered additional development to be completed for the veteran's claims of increased rating for left ear hearing loss and service connection for right ear hearing loss. The case is being returned to the RO for further action.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical strain (claimed as neck condition), and left varicocele.

The veteran's service-connected hearing loss disability is not shown to be more than noncompensable, and he does not meet the criteria for separate ratings for his tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss had its onset during active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service acoustic trauma, and thus service connection is granted.

The veteran's service-connected tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been granted, with a 10% rating for tinnitus and no compensable rating for hearing loss. The decision is based on the merits of the claims without any presumption or secondary linkage.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable initial disability rating, and thus denied his claim.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss, tinnitus, blurred vision, dizziness, and headaches were not aggravated by VA treatment in February 2000. The surgery performed did not result in worsening of pre-existing conditions.

The veteran's disability rating for his bilateral hearing loss was increased to a 10 percent rating in December 2004, and the Board found no evidence of worsening that would warrant an increase.

The Board found no evidence of in-service hearing loss or injury, and the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not service-connected.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by his service and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including dizziness, bilateral hearing loss, gout, mood swings, defective vision, cramps and sweats, peripheral neuropathy of the extremities, hypertension, heart condition, shortness of breath, depression, memory loss, chronic fatigue syndrome, muscle and joint pains, sleep apnea, headaches, liver disorder, and high cholesterol. The claims were denied as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board dismissed the appeal for right ankle disability. The veteran's claim of respiratory disability was denied as there is no evidence of a chronic respiratory disability during service or at present.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete service treatment records and outstanding post-service medical records.