Hearing loss decisions — 2010

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and recurrent tinnitus are related to his active service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to her in-service noise exposure, including exposure to machines and copiers. As a result, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his hearing loss disability, hypertension, and service connection claim.

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

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left ear hearing loss disability and a right knee disability, as well as his claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right ear hearing loss disability. The decision also noted that new evidence had been submitted to reopen the left ear hearing loss disability claim.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA audiological examination to determine the current level of severity of his service-connected left ear hearing loss and obtaining any relevant medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and the residuals of a left shoulder injury, finding no competent evidence relating these conditions to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of current disabilities meeting VA criteria or showing a link to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a hearing loss or tinnitus due to service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss is less likely than not related to his military service and denied the claim.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inconsistencies in the clinical evidence regarding the Veteran's right foot condition and incomplete VA outpatient records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, left ear hearing loss, a respiratory disorder due to asbestos exposure, migraine headaches, visual disability, and back disability. The reasons given were that there was no credible evidence of in-service stressors for PTSD, no current diagnoses related to service for other conditions, and the Veteran's accounts of events during service were not credible.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's income did not exceed the maximum annual pension rate for a veteran with one dependent in 2008, allowing payment of a nonservice-connected pension from January 2008 to December 2008. The issues regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of a link between these conditions and the Veteran's in-service noise exposure.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss did not meet VA standards and was less likely than not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to issues regarding service connection and exposure history.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for an ENT examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed left ear pain, which is separate from his service-connected hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was increased to a 60 percent rating effective February 3, 2010. The case for entitlement to TDIU remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as he is able to perform a sedentary job in a quiet location with face-to-face contact.