Hearing loss decisions — 2010

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of left ear labyrinthitis, including hearing loss, tinnitus, and cochlear insult. The psychiatric disorder claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and onset of his mental health issues.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not begin during service or within one year of separation and has not been shown by competent medical evidence to be related to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Veteran meets the schedular percentage threshold criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, and is unemployable solely due to these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA audiological examination and consideration of additional medical evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for chronic disabling residuals of a back injury and also denied an increased evaluation for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and as a result, the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is considered incurred in service. Similarly, the Board has also determined that the Veteran's tinnitus was incurred in service.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to an administrative error in scheduling the VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for a new VA audiology examination to determine if current hearing loss is related to service, specifically an assault during service and noise exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is service-connected.,Chloracne due to herbicide exposure is not service-connected.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for hearing loss, finding that there is no medical evidence to support a link between his in-service noise exposure and his current hearing disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability and that any hearing loss found in service did not result from noise exposure. The Board also noted that the Veteran had not provided competent medical evidence to support his contention that he developed hearing loss due to military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including posttraumatic stress disorder and chronic prostatitis, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral chronic ear infections and bilateral hearing loss are etiologically related to his military service, warranting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for acoustic neuroma and bilateral hearing loss have been denied as there is no evidence of a direct relationship to his military service, including exposure to herbicides.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are at least as likely as not related to his military service, including exposure to noise during active duty.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of in-service noise exposure or current disability. Service connection was not granted for interstitial fibrosis as the claim is not about service connection at all.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was rated at 30 percent since February 3, 2010. The disability picture does not warrant a higher rating as the evidence shows that his hearing acuity did not meet criteria for an increased rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and arthralgias of wrists, hips, knees, and ankles, were not incurred or aggravated by military service. The evidence did not support a finding of current disability for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude substantially gainful employment, and the Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are found to be related to his military service. The increased evaluation for PTSD is granted, with a rating of 50 percent effective September 22, 2008. TDIU due to service-connected disability is also granted.