Hearing loss decisions — 2010

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

The Veteran is granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as these conditions are related to in-service noise exposure. The appeal regarding the initial disability ratings for cold injury residuals of the right and left feet has been withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board found that the Veteran's current squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus, lymph nodes, and external ear and auditory canal with hearing loss is not related to his military service. The claim for hepatitis C with liver damage was also denied as there is no evidence linking it to his service.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to service. The respiratory disability is not related to service exposure, but the Board acknowledges that the Veteran was exposed to asbestos during his service on the U.S.S. Baltimore.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and a respiratory system disability were denied as there is no clinical evidence of record that the Veteran has these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as zero percent disabling, and the Board finds that this rating is appropriate based on the July 2006 VA examination results.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was initially granted with a noncompensable rating prior to July 29, 2008. A compensable rating of 20 percent has been granted effective July 29, 2008.

The Board denied a higher initial disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's hearing loss has been manifested as Level I hearing in his right ear and Level XI hearing in his left ear throughout the course of this appeal.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his bilateral hearing loss was denied as the current evaluation of 60 percent is considered adequate under the schedular criteria.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a VA medical examination to assess the impact of his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus on his employability. The issues of TDIU and education benefits are also being reconsidered.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss, which he asserts is related to noise exposure during World War II. The claim will be remanded to obtain additional private medical records and a VA audiologist's opinion on the relationship between his current hearing loss and military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a transcript of the Veteran's March 2005 hearing and scheduling him for a VA examination to assess his current hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, upper respiratory disability (claimed as cough and shortness of breath), sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, and an upper respiratory condition secondary to herbicide and/or DDT exposure were also denied.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for any higher rating.

The Board has determined that the criteria for reducing the Veteran's disability rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss from 10% to noncompensable have been met.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for reopening of his service connection claims for hearing loss, low back disability, and diabetes mellitus as new and material evidence was not received.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are causally related to his exposure to acoustic trauma during active military service, warranting service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA TBI examination and for issuance of a statement of the case regarding initial ratings for degenerative spondylosis of the cervical spine, hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability or tinnitus disability that is etiologically related to service. The preponderance of evidence is against finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are due to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left ear hearing loss and hemorrhoids, as well as his claim for service connection for hyperlipidemia were denied by the Board.