Hearing loss decisions — 2009

The Board denied the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as it was not attributable to service and was not first manifest to a compensable degree within one year of separation from service.

The Board denied service connection for a pulmonary disability and a bilateral ear disability, other than hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran was also found not to have a compensable evaluation for his hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was granted service connection, and a 100% disability rating was assigned effective the date of the grant.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development of evidence related to the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The appeal is remanded to obtain additional medical records and a new VA examination for the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss.

The appeal is remanded for the RO to review additional evidence and issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The appeal was partially denied, with the claim for service connection for chest pains being denied and the claims for residuals of a right eye injury being reopened.

The Board denied service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease as it was not etiologically related to the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran was granted an initial 10 percent rating for chronic left knee strain, and separate 10 percent ratings were assigned for cervical and lumbar spine osteoarthritis. The claims for increased ratings for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and the remaining spinal conditions were denied.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss was rated at 0 percent, and the Board found that a higher rating was not warranted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding no nexus between his active duty service and his current disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen claims for service connection for residuals of a back injury, bilateral hearing loss disability, a scar on the left side of the neck, a scar on the left eye, scars on the feet and a rash on the legs as new and material evidence was not submitted.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss was incurred in active service, but his left ear hearing loss and tinnitus were not. A low back disorder was also not related to active service.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus as the evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's initial rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not support a compensable evaluation.

The appellant's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found that the appellant's hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss as the evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and his current hearing loss.

The veteran withdrew his appeals of entitlement to service connection for residuals of shrapnel wounds to the back and neck.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim for service connection for PTSD, but the Veteran does not currently meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and a skin condition were denied as there is no competent evidence of record etiologically linking these conditions to his service or any incident therein.