Hearing loss decisions — 2009

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied by the RO, as there is no evidence showing that his condition has worsened to warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran does not have a diagnosed hearing loss disability for VA purposes.,There is no evidence of a gastrointestinal disability, residuals of corneal injury of the right eye, or sleep disorder during service or currently.

The Board has determined that the Veteran should be afforded a VA examination to determine if his bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are related to service. The reopened claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to missing records and clarification of medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to potential noise exposure during service. The Veteran is required to undergo a VA examination to determine if he currently has hearing loss disability, which may be related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and diabetes mellitus, as well as service connection for diabetic retinopathy and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities. The RO granted an initial noncompensable rating for diabetes mellitus due to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board determined that the appellant's hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating, as his puretone thresholds do not reach levels that would warrant such a rating.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been denied, and the case is being remanded to obtain further medical evaluation.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated during military service and denied his claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability as secondary to a low back disability, and for bilateral hearing loss are denied. The claim of service connection for tinnitus is pending due to the need for further evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a relationship between his current disabilities and his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss disability was denied as the evidence did not show a nexus between his current condition and his military service. The claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD was also denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his Social Security Administration records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for further medical examination.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating and earlier effective date for service connection of bilateral hearing loss was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal as to the increased rating issue.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disorder and left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's right shoulder disorder is currently rated as 0 percent disabling, and his lower back disorder remains at 10 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current right ear hearing loss disability and that his left ear hearing loss was present prior to service. The VA examiner opined that the preexisting left ear hearing loss did not increase in severity during service, and is not related to service. For tinnitus, the VA examiner also opined that it is not related to service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are due to in-service acoustic trauma, warranting service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant an initial compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant an evaluation in excess of 40 percent, as his average right ear pure tone threshold is 71 decibels and left ear pure tone threshold is 75 decibels. The highest rating available under VA's rating schedule for bilateral hearing loss is 40 percent.