Hearing loss decisions — 2010

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death. The claims for an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for tinnitus, and an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss are now moot.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied both on the merits as there is no evidence showing a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and major depressive disorder were denied as there is no evidence of in-service occurrence or aggravation, and his current conditions do not meet the criteria to be considered disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are as likely as not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's application for enrollment in VA healthcare system was denied due to his not meeting the eligibility requirements based on his service-connected disabilities and income level.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a loss of vision or hearing loss that is attributable to his period of honorable active military service. The Board also found no evidence linking any psychiatric disability, including PTSD, to his service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss. As such, the claim is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a respiratory disorder were denied. His hypertension was not rated higher than 20 percent, metatarsalgia of the left foot was not rated higher than 10 percent, tinnitus was not rated higher than 10 percent, and his scar from varicocele surgery did not warrant any compensable rating.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service. The claim of entitlement to service connection for migraine headaches is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination, including obtaining treatment records from Fort Myers VA facilities and scheduling a Travel Board hearing. The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are also being reviewed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's complete service treatment records are not available and have requested additional information from him. The case is being remanded to afford the Veteran a VA examination to determine if his current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected axillae and pilonidal cysts with hyperhidrosis have been rated at 10 percent, effective August 19, 2007. The bilateral hearing loss disability has not yet been assigned a rating.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and bilateral hearing loss to the RO for further action. The Veteran's right eye disability is rated at a higher 10 percent under DC 6081, warranting a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to April 20, 2005 for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that there is no clear and unmistakable error in the March 1974 rating decision denying service connection for a left ear condition.

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected disabilities is 70 percent, which meets the schedular criteria for consideration of unemployability. However, the evidence does not establish that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was first manifest in service and is at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure. Therefore, service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and a cardiovascular disability, finding no current disabilities meet the criteria for these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent, the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 6100.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The VA has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating as his audiometric evaluations consistently show Level III hearing impairment, which is noncompensable.