Hearing loss decisions — 2010

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding his bowel and bladder disorders, as well as his hearing loss and tinnitus. The VA will also review his ratings for arthritis of the knees.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss disability or tinnitus, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are directly related to his military service, including exposure to noise during active duty.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his hearing loss disability has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of right ear hearing loss and residuals of anti-malarial medication. The claim for PTSD is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding a verified in-service stressor.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development and review of the evidence.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable. The case is being remanded for further examination and review of his claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to his service and denied the claim for service connection. The hearing loss was found to be at least as likely as not caused by noise exposure in service, but no current effective date or rating assigned.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and sinusitis, finding that new and material evidence was not received to reopen these claims. The claim for tooth extraction secondary to sinusitis is also denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder did not cause or materially contribute to his death by cardiopulmonary arrest.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is established as service-connected. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at zero percent since June 2003, and no higher rating is warranted.

The Board found no evidence of bilateral hearing loss during service and concluded that the current condition is not related to military noise exposure. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, with no evidence of pre-service or post-service noise exposure. The Veteran's current hearing loss is considered within normal limits for rating purposes, but he was found to have constant tinnitus since service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70% disabling, and his right ear hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. His heart palpitations are not service connected.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded to the RO for further review.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination. The matter of expanding service connection for PTSD to include alcohol dependence will also be addressed.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that there is at least a reasonable doubt in favor of these conditions being related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are related to in-service noise exposure, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have current bilateral hearing loss or bilateral tinnitus as a result of service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination.