Hearing loss decisions — 2010

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service disease/injury. The VA examiner concluded that any hearing loss developed post-service due to normal aging.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further VA examination and evaluation of the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD was granted. The Board also found that the Veteran had other disabilities, but did not grant service connection for them.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to incomplete examinations and missing treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.

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 has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are at least as likely as not incurred in service, including during active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and reserve duty. As such, the claims for service connection for these conditions have been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disorder for VA purposes, and thus cannot establish service connection.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are attributable to service, warranting a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board is reopening the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but remanding them to the RO for further development. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) claim remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than March 21, 2008 for the award of a total (100 percent) rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Veteran's PTSD has been rated as 50 percent disabling since service connection was established in August 2006. His calcified hilar lymph nodes have been rated as noncompensably (zero percent) disabling.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus did not manifest in service or within one year thereafter, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The Board found that civilian noise exposure and presbycusis were contributory factors.

The Board found that the evidence was in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to acoustic trauma during his military service, and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss in the right ear, to include as a residual trauma due to lack of medical evidence linking the condition to military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for restoration of an apportionment of the Veteran's disability compensation benefits on behalf of his minor child and an increase in the special apportionment of the Veteran's disability compensation benefits, finding that the Veteran was reasonably discharging his responsibility for support of his child during her minority.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss resulted from in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a comprehensive VA compensation and pension examination to assess the severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.