Hearing loss decisions — 2009

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is not due to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is attributable to service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss by VA standards and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a bilateral eye disorder due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were not incurred in service, as his pre-existing hearing loss was demonstrated prior to entrance into service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's claims for psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, inguinal hernias, Achilles tendonitis of the right foot, plantar fasciitis of the left foot, thoracic spine condition, erectile dysfunction, bilateral knee condition, and skin condition (psoriasis, warts, abscesses, cysts) have been reopened. Service connection has not been established for any of these conditions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the claims of entitlement to service connection for lumbar spine spondylolysis and bilateral hearing loss. The claim for tinnitus is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, and thus denied both claims.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder and bilateral hearing loss have been granted service connection. His increased rating for left thoracic empyema status post decortication and pleurectomy is also granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, and the Board finds that they are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to inadequate rationale in the previous VA examination report. A new VA examination by a different examiner will be required.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. However, both conditions were denied as they are not shown to be related to service.

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

The Veteran has a single service-connected disability rated as 100 percent disabling (PTSD) and additional disabilities independently rated at least 60 percent disabling. The Board finds that the Veteran meets the criteria for special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1114(s)(1).

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to determine if the veteran now has hearing loss and tinnitus related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding whether VA treatment was careless or negligent in causing hearing loss, ear infection, and mastoiditis. The Veteran's claims are pending.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or any other causative factor. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's hearing impairment more likely resulted from post-military aging effects or other unknown etiology.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 70 percent, which is the maximum rating available under VA regulations. The Board finds that his disability does not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss did not increase in severity during service and thus, he cannot establish service connection for this condition. The left ear hearing loss was also found to be unrelated to military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete development of his claims, including the need for clinical records from specific military facilities and service personnel records.