Hearing loss decisions — 2009

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated during service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his service, and the Board finds that it was not incurred during active duty or for many years thereafter.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and thus the claim remains denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and right ankle disorder. The evidence did not show that any current disabilities were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and residuals of cold injuries to the bilateral feet have all been denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.,There is also no indication that the Veteran has PTSD.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and an examination. The claims file must be reviewed, including any relevant SSA and OPM records.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a lung disorder, including as due to asbestos exposure, was not reopened. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently evaluated at the highest possible rating under VA guidelines.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus have been denied. The evidence submitted is considered new but not material to establish these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's lumbosacral strain myositis, L4-L5 disc herniation did not manifest as a result of his military service and denied entitlement to service connection for this condition. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected hearing loss were denied. He was previously rated noncompensable and now receives a rating of 10 percent from July 25, 2008.

The Board found that the Veteran's knee injury in service was not chronic and there is no continuity of symptoms since discharge. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has not been shown to warrant an evaluation in excess of 30 percent prior to November 22, 2006.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has not been shown to warrant an evaluation in excess of 40 percent prior to June 18, 2008.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has not been shown to warrant an evaluation in excess of 80 percent from any period covered by this appeal.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss and remanded it to the RO for further action. The Veteran's sister, friends, and a December 2008 audiologist provided evidence suggesting that his hearing was good before service but worse after service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss disability is related to his military service, while his right ear hearing loss does not meet VA criteria for a disability. The claim was granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are as likely as not due to exposure to acoustic trauma during his active service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claims for hearing loss and TDIU are being remanded due to incomplete development of the evidence, including a conversion of audiometric test results from private evaluations and an additional VA examination.

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 case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and clarifying the appellant's attorney's comments.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated and found to not warrant a compensable rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.