Hearing loss decisions — 2008

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the veteran's symptoms began in service and have persisted since. Service connection was denied for an unspecified ear condition due to a lack of current disability evidence.

The veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence of a claim prior to May 11, 2005.

The Board has reviewed the claims for increased evaluations and service connection, but found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation or service connection in all cases. The appeals are therefore denied.

The RO denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral pes planus, currently evaluated as noncompensably disabling.,The RO also denied his petition to reopen his previously denied claims of service connection for hearing loss and a back disability, including as secondary to bilateral pes planus.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss is not attributable to his time in service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new and material evidence submitted. However, the medical evidence does not establish a link between his current hearing loss disability and his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, as there is no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after service. The VA examiner found it less likely than not that the current hearing loss and tinnitus were caused by noise exposure in service.

The veteran is service connected for several conditions and meets the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that there is no evidence to support the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as his current condition does not appear to be related to his military service.

The Board found that the newly submitted evidence is cumulative and redundant, not relating to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. Therefore, the claim was denied as new and material evidence has not been received.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but further development is needed to determine if he currently has a disability as defined by VA standards. The opinions provided are not based on review of the claims file.

The veteran's claims for increased disability rating for gross tremor and service connection for right and left ear hearing loss are being remanded due to incomplete examination reports.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluation for various conditions, including bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, a right ankle disability, positional vertigo, gastritis, a left ankle disability, a right shoulder condition, and chronic lumbosacral strain and myositis with degenerative joint disease.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that none of them were incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his disability did not meet the schedular criteria and that there was no exceptional case warranting extraschedular consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, hearing loss, and tinnitus based on presumptive exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. The veteran's current conditions are deemed related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, including residuals of a head injury, bipolar disorder with memory loss and hallucinations, bilateral hearing loss, loss of sense of smell, and degenerative changes at the T11-12 and T12-L1 vertebral levels. The decision is based on the absence of evidence of an in-service head injury.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and keratoconus, finding no evidence of in-service onset or a nexus to service. The claim for reopening the keratoconus claim was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the relationship between service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, requiring further clarification from the examiner.