Hearing loss decisions — 2010

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a seizure disorder (claimed as a shaking condition), fatigue, kidney disorder, hypertension, and high cholesterol. The appeals were all denied on the basis of lack of evidence linking these conditions to active service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is etiologically related to his in-service noise exposure, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service, and the preponderance of the evidence did not support a finding that his current conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are likely due to noise exposure during the Veteran's active service. The claims for increased compensation for PTSD and TDIU rating are being remanded.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service noise exposure, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may it be presumed to have been. The Board affirms the denial of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including sickle cell anemia, ulcers, cold injury residuals of the feet, bilateral leg injuries, back disability, and loss of teeth. The decision found that no new and material evidence had been received to reopen the claim for sickle cell anemia, and that there was insufficient evidence to establish service connection for the other conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus did not originate during his period of active military service or within the initial post-service year, and are not otherwise related to such service. Therefore, the claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evaluation of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he did not wish to pursue the issues of service connection for malaria, Leishmaniasis, PTSD, residuals of asbestos exposure, glaucoma, special monthly pension (SMP), and a total rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a neurological examination. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for left ear hearing loss and residuals of a chest wound are on appeal.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for right shoulder disability and determined that new and material evidence had been received. The Board found a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim, linking the current right shoulder disability to his service-connected left knee disability. Service connection was granted for bilateral hearing loss as not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied, while his claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for an acquired psychiatric disorder was granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone are enough to render him unable to obtain and maintain any form of substantially gainful employment, thus the Board has determined that he is entitled to a TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, while his right eye disability did not have its onset during service or is otherwise etiologically related. The claims for service connection for these conditions are granted.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as there is no evidence of a compensable evaluation for left ear hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for heterotopic ossification of the right tibia, finding that it was incurred during active duty service. The claim to reopen service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as new and material evidence not having been received.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 90 percent for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and his TDIU claim was also denied as his service-connected disability did not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by active military service, and the Board denied both claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss and left knee disability, finding that new and material evidence was not received. The right knee disability claim was also denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking it to active service or a pre-existing condition.