Hearing loss decisions — 2009

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his time in service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, alone, are not sufficient to produce unemployability without regard to his advancing age. The Board finds that TDIU is not warranted on a schedular or on an extra-schedular basis at this time.

The Board has ordered a remand due to non-compliance with previous instructions, and the case is now pending for further review.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of consideration of in-service reports of perforated right eardrum, which may be relevant to the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA audiological examination to determine the likely etiology of the Veteran's claimed hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as any other necessary development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for hearing loss due to a lack of compliance with earlier remand instructions. The case is now before the Board for further appellate consideration.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, hearing loss and ruptured eardrums were denied. The claim for diabetes mellitus was not decided as it is unclear if the exposure basis related to herbicide agents.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by his military service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence, and there is no competent medical evidence linking current disabilities to active duty.

The VA determined that the Veteran's current right ear hearing loss did not result from service, as it was present prior to his military service and worsened due to a cholesteatoma found during surgery. The Board concluded that the worsening of his hearing loss was not aggravated by service.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities, by themselves, do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. Therefore, the claim for TDIU was denied.

The Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than January 11, 2000, for the grant of a 100% evaluation for rheumatoid arthritis and initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss were denied. The Board found that prior to January 11, 2000, there was no evidence of constitutional manifestations associated with active joint involvement or severe impairment of health.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is not related to his military service and thus denied service connection for this condition. The same conclusion was reached regarding left ear hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of her claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to address the nature and etiology of various claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities meet the percentage criteria for a TDIU, as they are rated at 60 percent combined.

The case is being remanded for further development and consideration of the appellant's claim, including providing proper notice under Hupp v. Nicholson and readjudicating the claim considering all evidence since December 2007.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding the impact of his service-connected disabilities, including hearing loss, on his employability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as there is no evidence to support a finding of in-service injury or disease resulting in current disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not manifest during his military service, nor were they aggravated by such service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not manifest during service or within one year of discharge, and is not related to his military service. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence of skin cancer of the nose, arthritis of the right knee prior to July 18, 2007, or arthritis of the left knee. The Veteran's hearing loss claim was not addressed as it is pending before the RO.