Hearing loss decisions — 2009

The veteran's claim for a compensable initial rating for hearing loss of the right ear was remanded for additional development, including a VA audiology examination.

The Board granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and found that it was aggravated by the veteran's active duty service. The claims for service connection for depression with anxiety features, sensorineural hearing loss in the left ear, and a stomach condition were denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder and an initial rating higher than 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension as there was no evidence of a nexus to his military service.

The veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the functional effects of his hearing disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD, but granted service connection for a low back disorder.

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

The veteran's prostate cancer is service-connected due to presumed exposure to herbicides, while his right ear hearing loss and hypertension are not. Tinnitus has been reopened and granted on the merits.

The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and heart disease manifested by a heart murmur are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss, sexual dysfunction, and chronic fatigue are not related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected epilepsy.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the veteran's in-service noise exposure and his current hearing loss. The claim was reopened based on new evidence but ultimately denied.

The appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to reassess the severity of the veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss was reopened, but ultimately denied as the evidence did not establish a link between his current hearing loss and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for a dental condition, bilateral knee conditions, Paget's disease, hearing loss, and back and neck conditions as no new and material evidence was presented to reopen the claim or sufficient evidence linking any of these conditions to military service was provided.

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

The appeal is remanded to the RO for additional development, including a new VA audiological examination.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss of the right ear as there was no evidence of a current disability, in-service incurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury, and medical evidence linking the current disability to that in-service disease or injury.

The Board found that the preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that the veteran has a bilateral hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes, and there is no competent evidence linking any extant hearing loss to service.