Hearing loss decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus/tunnelitis are related to service, and thus service connection is granted for these conditions.

The veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Board has determined that additional development, including obtaining verification of the veteran's combat status and inservice acoustic trauma, is needed before a decision can be made.

The veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss, which he attributes to noise exposure during military service. The case is remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his hearing loss.

The veteran's initial compensable rating claim for tympanic membrane perforation was denied. The veteran's bilateral pingueculae and hearing loss of the left ear were not granted compensable ratings.,Service connection for fibrocystic disease of breasts, bilateral eye condition (loss of tear layer with chronic keratitis), and left ear disorder (chronic otitis media and infection) were all denied. The veteran's psychiatric disability was also not granted service connection.

The veteran's claim for TDIU was denied as he does not meet the threshold requirements for a schedular TDIU due to his combined rating of 40 percent. The Board found that the veteran is not unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities and thus, TDIU benefits are denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hearing loss existed prior to service and did not increase in severity during active military service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, including noise exposure in service. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service hearing loss or tinnitus. The right wrist scar claim was granted but not increased.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of an increase in disability during service or a link to service.

The VA determined that the veteran does not have bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, or PTSD as a result of his military service.,Specifically, the VA found no evidence of current disabilities related to these conditions.

The veteran's PTSD is granted as related to his service, and he is awarded a 100% rating for bilateral hearing loss disability. The lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis is also granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hepatitis C, PTSD, and essential tremors of both hands due to lack of credible evidence supporting the occurrence of claimed stressors related to combat.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for hearing loss of the right ear, finding that his hearing loss was only at Level I impairment throughout the entire rating period.

The October 2004 rating decision reducing the veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability from 40 percent to 20 percent, effective April 1, 2005 was proper. The current evaluation of 30 percent for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current left ear hearing loss or right ear hearing loss, and his tinnitus did not begin in service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board finds that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to head trauma and noise exposure in service, thus establishing service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, and headaches are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence regarding noise exposure during service.

The Board found no evidence of a back disability, tinnitus, or hearing loss during service. The current conditions were not shown to be related to service and the claim was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for psoriatic arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim for psoriatic arthritis.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied, but new evidence was received that may reopen his claim for a low back disability. The veteran is presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam.