Hearing loss decisions — 2010

The Board found that there is no evidence of current hearing loss or tinnitus for VA compensation purposes and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD, as well as the effective dates for service connection of tinnitus and dermatitis, were denied. The claim to reopen a previously denied claim of service connection for dermatitis was also denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss was manifested by an average pure tone threshold of 23 decibels in the right ear and 26 decibels in the left ear, with speech recognition ability of 100 in both ears. The Board found that these results did not support a higher disability rating.

The Board finds that the Veteran is likely as not to have a current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss due to service-connected noise exposure during World War II. Therefore, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's employability.

The Veteran does not have left ear hearing loss attributable to his military service and the Board finds that his current hearing loss is less likely due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a compensable rating for the left ring finger disability. The Veteran's current hearing loss is not considered to be related to his military service, and there is no evidence of an exceptional or unusual disability picture that would render impractical the application of the regular schedular standards.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his active service and denied his claim.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss of the right ear, finding no link between current hearing loss and noise exposure during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions did not develop in service or are otherwise related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disability preexisted service and did not permanently increase in severity during service. The bilateral hearing loss was also found to be unrelated to active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that no new and material evidence has been received.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss, right wrist disorder, and tinnitus) prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the criteria for a TDIU rating are met.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for bilateral hearing loss were denied, while his claim for service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis was not adjudicated. The Veteran is currently rated at zero percent for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and skin condition were not service connected, while his PTSD was rated at 30 percent. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current conditions and his active service.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for the cause of death, DIC benefits, and accrued benefits due to a lack of evidence showing that the service member's conditions substantially or materially contributed to his death.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to address the Veteran's claims, including obtaining his service personnel records and any missing service treatment records. The Veteran will be scheduled for VA examinations to assess the nature and etiology of his claimed tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, bilateral foot disability, and low back disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is attributable to service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional information and verification regarding his dates of active duty training (ADT) and inactive duty training (IADT). The case will be scheduled for a videoconference hearing before the Board at the RO.