Hearing loss decisions — 2010

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence and additional development is required.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, chest pain, shortness of breath, and posttraumatic stress disorder due to a lack of evidence showing current disabilities or continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the current level of disability. Service connection for vertigo, claimed as secondary to his hearing loss, was also denied.

The Board denied service connection for depression, bilateral hearing loss, and rash of the groin area due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is attributable to acoustic trauma during active service and grants service connection for this condition. However, there is no evidence linking his current tinnitus to service, and thus service connection for tinnitus is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after his military service, and the VA examiner found no link between his current hearing loss and tinnitus and his military service.

The Veteran seeks service connection for hearing loss. The case is being remanded to provide a VA examination and obtain an opinion regarding the etiology of his current hearing loss.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his bilateral hearing loss prior to February 23, 2009, and a rating higher than 50 percent since that date was denied. The Board found the evidence did not support a higher rating at any time.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for hearing loss should be remanded due to insufficient evidence in the June 2008 VA examination report.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss claim is being remanded for further evaluation due to the lack of a current disability and the need for an etiological opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for keloids of the shoulders and back is granted. The Board finds that his keloids are related to his military service, as evidenced by their presence at the time of his discharge from service and subsequent progression over the years. Service connection is also granted for incontinence secondary to his service-connected hemorrhoids. However, service connection for bilateral hearing loss cannot be established based on the available evidence.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, with the exception of his tinnitus which is presumed due to in-service noise exposure. Service connection for both conditions is granted.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to active duty service and granted. The Veteran's sore throat (manifested by) is presumed to be due to exposure to herbicides, specifically Agent Orange. Service connection for lumbosacral strain is also granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated as 10% effective from November 4, 2009.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection for tinnitus and for a 20 percent evaluation for bilateral hearing loss were denied. The RO granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss in January 2005, with a noncompensable rating effective from September 14, 2004. He filed an increased rating claim on June 18, 2008, and was assigned a 20 percent evaluation effective the same day.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to an inadequate VA examination. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss claim is being reviewed again.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the March 2008 VA examination in discussing the functional effects of his hearing disability on his occupational functioning and daily life.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus have been denied as there is no competent evidence of a nexus to service.