Hearing loss decisions — 2010

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a shrapnel fragment wound of the left leg.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no credible evidence of exposure to herbicides or asbestos in service, and the current presence of diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, bilateral eye disability, bilateral lung condition, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, skeletal arthritis, arthritis of the right hand, left shoulder, and left elbow, peptic ulcer disease, and headaches were not established.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than July 10, 2006 for service connection of vertigo, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The claim for PTSD was denied.

The Board has granted the appellant's claim for service connection (for accrued benefits purposes) for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran had a history of complaints and diagnoses related to his hearing impairment since service. The claim is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of current disabilities or a relationship to service.

The Veteran's service-connected hearing loss, depression, and tinnitus are considered in determining whether he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's death and addressing the appellant's accrued benefits claim.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for PTSD was withdrawn. The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment, granting his TDIU claim.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service exposure to acoustic trauma. The disorders were not incurred due to a disease or injury during active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and reopened the claims for bilateral hearing loss and blurred vision in both eyes (claimed as pterygium). The Veteran's current symptoms are considered to be related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current hearing loss in his left ear and right shoulder disability, and therefore denied both claims.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he contends are related to noise exposure during his military service. The case has been remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining service records from the Army National Guard and Army Reserves, as well as a VA audiological evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of such conditions during or within one year after service. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss disability was incurred during active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is currently evaluated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete service treatment records and a need for a supplemental medical opinion from an audiologist.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was denied as his current disability level does not meet the criteria for any higher rating under VA schedular criteria.

The Veteran's lung cancer was not related to service and did not manifest until two years after his separation. His other service-connected conditions were not severe enough to prevent him from working. Therefore, accrued benefits for TDIU are denied.