Hearing loss decisions — 2010

The Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disability is being remanded. His claim of entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is also being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, depression, adjustment disorder, and dysthymic disorder. The evidence did not support a current diagnosis of PTSD or any other diagnosed psychiatric condition as being related to service.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a hearing loss disability or tinnitus in service, and the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for left ear hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new VA audiological examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss, respiratory disorder, psychiatric disorder, and hypertension, were denied as the evidence did not show a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran was not granted any new or material evidence to reopen his claim of a back disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hepatitis C, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied. The current disability ratings are considered appropriate based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of PTSD, and the other conditions were not shown to be related to service or any presumptive exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. His bilateral hearing loss was rated at 20 percent, peptic ulcer disease at 10 percent prior to September 11, 2008, and his skin disorder and psychiatric disorders were not found to be related to service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the failure to issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The issues regarding the evaluation for bilateral hearing loss with left ear tympanoplasty are pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination by an otolaryngologist to determine if the Veteran's current hearing loss is related to his period of service.

For the period prior to May 7, 2010, the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated as noncompensable.,From May 7, 2010, through June 23, 2010, the Veteran's exceptional pattern of hearing impairment in both ears warranted a 40 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss.,Beginning June 24, 2010, the Veteran was granted a 10 percent rating for his left ear hearing loss only.

The Board has granted service connection for left little toe disability and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's current hearing is within normal limits, but her in-service low frequency hearing loss at enlistment could have been due to other factors.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated in active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's request for a Board hearing has been scheduled, and the appeal is being remanded due to confusion with previous letters.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination to assess the current severity of his PTSD.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is not etiologically related to his active service.,The Veteran does not have one service-connected disability rated at 60 percent or more, nor multiple service-connected disabilities of which one was rated at 40 percent or more and the combined rating was at least 70 percent.

The Board finds that the Veteran's headaches, cervical spine disability involving a herniated disc at C-6, and right shoulder disorder were incurred in service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus, and did not address the claim for a higher rating for left knee disability. The Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable prior to November 13, 2009, and 10 percent thereafter. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for any period.