Hearing loss decisions — 2010

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is found to have resulted from his active military service, and the Board has granted entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran does not experience any current disability due to bilateral hearing loss or inguinal hernia attributable to military service.,The Veteran's claimed tinnitus is not related to military service.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be related to his combat experiences during service, and the claim for service connection is granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, heart disease (due to herbicide exposure), and hypertension are not addressed as they do not involve service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine if his service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, hemorrhoids (claimed as anal fissures), neck disability, lumbar spine disability, right and left knee disabilities, and right and left ankle disabilities. The Veteran's claims were remanded for further action.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no current diagnosis of a hearing loss disability meeting VA criteria and concluding that his assertions do not constitute persuasive evidence in support of the claim.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for back disorder, right leg disorder, and bilateral hearing loss have been reopened. The new evidence provided a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus have been remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to service, and his shrapnel scars on the back are rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board found that the current hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is incurred in active military service and granted service connection for this condition. However, there is no evidence of current tinnitus related to his military service, so service connection for tinnitus was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records.

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

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims to reopen his service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a respiratory disorder. The evidence submitted since the last final rating decision does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss warrants a 'staged' rating of 10 percent effective October 30, 2008. Prior to that date, the disability was rated at 0 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have service connection for bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus as these conditions were not shown in service, within a year of discharge from service, and there is no medical evidence linking current disabilities to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA audiological and neurological examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and auditory processing disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not service-connected, but his claims for back condition, left shoulder DJD, and left elbow degenerative arthritis are all granted as they are considered to be directly related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of in-service occurrence or a nexus to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for sinus problems. The claim for a low back disability is remanded.