Hearing loss decisions — 2009

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service, including due to noise exposure during military service. The most probative evidence indicated these conditions are unrelated to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, and thus denied his claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining service records and a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for stomach, hypertension, heart, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus disabilities were denied as there is no competent medical evidence of current disabilities or a nexus to service.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain service personnel records, treatment records from the USS Valley Forge, and any relevant post-service medical records. The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus will be reconsidered based on this new evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including renal insufficiency with hypertension, cataracts, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, type II, hearing loss, and tinnitus render the Veteran unemployable. Therefore, the Board finds that entitlement to individual unemployability is warranted.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and needs further development, including obtaining an audiogram and scheduling a VA audiological examination.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability from November 2000 to August 2001 is granted as he meets the schedular criteria and there is probative evidence of his unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, and thus denied both claims.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, so the Board has dismissed these matters.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and erectile dysfunction. Bilateral hearing loss was not shown to be incurred in or aggravated by active service, while erectile dysfunction is not related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for cold injury, right hand and bilateral hearing loss with tinnitus. The Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and arthritis of multiple joints, finding that there is no current disability as defined by VA regulations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA audiological examination to determine the current nature and extent of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied. The claim for TDIU was also denied as the Veteran is not unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities alone.