Hearing loss decisions — 2010

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for depression, hearing loss, neck disability, hypertension, and bilateral knee disability. The appeal is remanded to verify the Veteran's claimed periods of active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and consideration of his service connection claims, including a VA examination to address the etiology of his right ear hearing loss and left leg varicose veins.

The Board denied service connection for varicose veins. The Veteran's application to reopen the claim was also denied, but he was granted service connection for sensorineural hearing loss in both ears.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and service treatment records. A VA examination will be conducted to determine the nature, extent, onset, and etiology of any right hand disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to determine the etiology of his hearing loss, tinnitus, respiratory disorder, and urinary tract/bladder disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was found to have its onset in service and is therefore granted service connection. The lung cancer claim remains pending as the issue of whether it pre-existed service or underwent an increase in severity during service has not been resolved.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right shoulder disability, low back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, left eye disability (post-surgical scar), and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus had onset during his active service, and therefore grants service connection for these conditions. The right ear hearing loss disability claim is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and expired VA Form 21-4142. The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and frostbite residuals are being reviewed again.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's exposure to noise during active duty resulted in current hearing impairment. Service connection was denied for tinnitus due to lack of evidence linking it to service.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as the Veteran's claims were not supported by medical records or other evidence indicating a nexus between his military service and these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verifying the appellant's service with the Army Reserve and obtaining his service treatment records. The appellant is also to be scheduled for examinations to determine the etiology of his hepatitis C, hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is found to be incurred during his active military service due to noise exposure, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and loss of teeth and bone in the maxilla area due to trauma, finding that these conditions do not meet the schedular criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and chronic tinnitus are likely related to his military service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's failure to appear for a scheduled Travel Board hearing and inability to locate him. The file will be returned to his representative for preparation of an informal hearing presentation if he cannot be located.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as an increased rating for his amputation of the right index finger, were denied. The Board found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims, and that there was no direct evidence linking the conditions to military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service, nor may their incurrence be presumed. The evidence did not establish a nexus between his current disabilities and his in-service exposure to loud noise.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 50 percent disability rating from March 5, 2007, to June 10, 2008. The Veteran's claim for Parkinson's disease is not currently before the Board.