Hearing loss decisions — 2009

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating, as his current hearing acuity levels do not meet the criteria for any higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are not related to his active service, including exposure to noise. As such, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a bilateral hearing loss disability or tinnitus as a result of service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence of current disabilities or in-service injury, exposure, or disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service acoustic trauma, and thus service connection is granted for both conditions.

The Veteran is service-connected for hearing loss and tinnitus, rated at 70 percent combined. The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable due to his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which make it impossible for him to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various eye, ear, and skin conditions due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran was granted service connection for hemorrhoids, but not for hearing loss in the right ear or skin condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 20 percent effective December 13, 2007. Prior to this date, the disability was not compensable.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining SSA records and issuing a statement of the case on his right ear hearing loss claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding no nexus between his current condition and his active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a burst eardrum injury were denied as there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease, and the current conditions are not related to military service.

The Board found that the appellant did not have current bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus that was incurred in service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and left leg disability, finding that there was no evidence of current disability.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral foot disorder and a bilateral leg disorder are remanded due to outstanding private treatment records.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a bilateral foot condition. The RO/AMC will obtain his service personnel file, private treatment records from his doctors, and VA medical records. They will also schedule him for VA examinations to determine if his current conditions are related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's conditions did not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status, as he was able to perform daily activities independently and had no physical or mental incapacity requiring regular care.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss is being remanded due to the unavailability of his service records and the need for a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are due to in-service noise exposure, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. However, the Veteran's current hearing loss is not considered to be related to his military service due to a lack of aggravation during service and because there is no increase in severity from enlistment to separation.