Hearing loss decisions — 2008

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is attributable to noise exposure during his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for nasopharyngeal carcinoma with metastasis to cervical lymph nodes. The decision found no evidence linking current hearing loss or cancer diagnoses to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have hearing loss or tinnitus that is related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for chronic bilateral hearing loss disability and chronic tinnitus, finding no evidence of such disabilities during or proximate to active service.

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 injury or disease leading to these conditions. The VA examiner found it less likely as not that the veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus were caused by acoustic trauma during service.

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

The VA granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but assigned a noncompensable (0%) rating, effective May 18, 2005.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for any of the conditions listed, including low back disability, left ankle sprain, eye disorder (other than conjunctivitis), bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, chronic lung disorder (PPD positive), gastrointestinal disorder (indigestion or gastritis), prostatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, bronchopneumonia, peptic ulcer disease, ischemic heart disease and hypertensive cardiovascular disease with angina, diabetes mellitus, acute pyelonephritis, liver condition, Bell's palsy with facial numbness, dengue hemorrhagic fever, and erectile dysfunction.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and remanded it for further development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of the condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the veteran's claims for right elbow and bilateral hearing loss disabilities. The service connection claims for left elbow, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, and degenerative joint disease of the right knee have all been denied.

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

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss of the left ear warrants a 10 percent evaluation under Diagnostic Code 6100, and thus denied an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss did not warrant a compensable evaluation, as his disability was rated at noncompensable level since June 30, 2003.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by service. The VA examiner stated that it was not at least likely as not that the veteran's hearing loss was related to military service.

The Board has determined that the appellant is not eligible for accrued benefits as she does not meet the criteria outlined in VA regulations and there is no evidence of her entitlement to such benefits.

The Board finds that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service exposure to acoustic trauma. Service connection is granted for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have PTSD related to his service experience in Vietnam. The claim for service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right elbow due to a presumption based on its onset within one year of separation from active duty. The other conditions are not granted as service connected.