Hearing loss decisions — 2009

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and high blood pressure as the evidence did not show that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service, nor could they be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board granted service connection for malaria, but denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus is granted based on the evidence of acoustic trauma during military service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection and compensation for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a claim prior to December 23, 2005.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, a disability of the intestines, a back disability, and bilateral knee disabilities as there was no evidence to support that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

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

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of a relationship between his current condition and his military service.

The Board must remand the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus to obtain additional evidence, including an updated audiogram, and a new medical opinion that addresses the Veteran's reported continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board denied the claim for entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of hearing loss during service or within one year thereafter, and no evidence that it is causally related to military service.

The Veteran's initial rating claims for service-connected bilateral hearing loss were denied as the evidence did not support a compensable or higher rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no competent evidence linking it to a disease or injury in service.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence weighs against the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as there is no indication of hearing loss during service and no competent medical evidence linking the current condition to military service.

The appeal is remanded to schedule the Veteran for an audiometric evaluation of her service-connected left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss results in marked interference with employment, and thus warrants an initial 10 percent disability rating on an extra-schedular basis.

The Board denied service connection for shin splints, finding no evidence of a chronic condition or persistent symptoms after service. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was remanded.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for increased disability ratings and to reopen a claim for service connection for tinnitus.

The veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was not related to his in-service noise exposure or any other incident of service, as there is no evidence of hearing loss within the first year after service and no competent medical evidence linking the current condition to military service.

The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and found no legal basis for an increased rating for tinnitus, which was already at the maximum 10 percent disability rating.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no competent evidence of a causal relationship between the Veteran's service or any incident of service, including noise exposure in service, and his current hearing loss disability.

The appeal is remanded for additional development, including notice to the veteran regarding his increased rating claims and CUE claim.