Hearing loss decisions — 2009

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not occur during service or are otherwise related to his military service. As a result, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for additional development, including an addendum opinion and/or examination regarding the impact of her low back and bilateral knee disabilities on her employability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for service connection purposes related to right ear hearing loss. The initial ratings assigned for retained shrapnel, right thigh; Achilles tendonitis, right ankle; retropatellar pain syndrome, left knee; and residuals of choroidal rupture, left eye were denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, a herniated disc, and neuropathy. The decision found that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease resulting in current disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent, effective August 9, 2005. The Board finds that the current rating adequately reflects the severity of his condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not related to service or an incident of service origin, including in-service noise exposure. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, in combination, preclude him from obtaining and maintaining any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and industrial background. The Board finds that the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities are met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were not incurred in or related to service. The VA examiner concluded that these conditions are not linked to his military service.

The VA determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability, with a focus on his left ear, was not incurred or aggravated during active service and may not be presumed to have been so incurred.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was denied because the evidence did not support a finding that his current hearing loss disability is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if these conditions are related to his active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, including exposure to acoustic trauma during military service. As a result, the appeal for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for his bilateral high frequency sensorineural hearing loss was denied by the RO, and no effective date is assigned as he has not been granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service and may not be presumed to have been so incurred.

The Veteran's pension claim is granted as he meets the requirements for non-service-connected pension due to his severe back impairment, which has been determined by SSA to be disabling.

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

The Veteran's increased ratings claims for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU were denied by the Board.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and consideration of outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied as he was not shown to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities prior to January 27, 2004.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are unrelated to service, as there was no continuous symptomatology after service discharge. The evidence did not show a chronic disability of hearing loss or tinnitus until 2001.