Hearing loss decisions — 2009

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of his employment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing did not meet the criteria for a hearing loss disability set forth at 38 C.F.R. § 3.385, and therefore denied his claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including medical opinions on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal regarding service connection for gout has been withdrawn. The case is remanded to assess the current severity of his left ear hearing loss.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional evidence and a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical spine disability with shoulder blade pain and shakiness of knees, and urinary/kidney stone disability are all denied as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to his service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is a result of acoustic trauma during service and granted his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that a hearing must be scheduled for the Veteran at his current address in California, as he is no longer residing in Tennessee.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for an examination and a determination of whether his service-connected disabilities alone render him unemployable.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin condition, PTSD, tinnitus, hearing loss of the left ear, and COPD. The decision also addressed his claim for TDIU prior to January 7, 2009.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected thoracolumbar strain, healed fractures of the ribs, and bilateral hearing loss have been denied. The claim for service connection for a right knee injury has also been denied.

The Veteran's left hand osteoarthritis is rated at a 20 percent disability, effective from the date of award. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened due to new evidence received since the last final denial.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were granted with effective dates of May 23, 2006. The Board finds that the earlier effective date claim is denied as there was no informal or formal claim filed prior to May 23, 2006.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss in the right ear and found it noncompensable. The claim for chloracne due to herbicide exposure was also granted, but as a result of presumptive service connection based on Vietnam-era exposure.

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

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating of 70 percent for PTSD, effective May 5, 2006. The earlier effective date claim for the PTSD rating is denied.

The Board denied service connection for left hand, bilateral knee, and bilateral hearing disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active duty service.