Hearing loss decisions — 2010

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The Board also finds no evidence of a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss disability, finding that the Veteran's in-service exposure to noise likely caused his current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. However, the claim for tinnitus was denied as there is no credible evidence linking the onset of tinnitus to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus in the right ear is assigned a 10 percent rating, which is the maximum rating authorized under Diagnostic Code 6260. There is no legal basis for the assignment of a schedular rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus in the right ear.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has been clinically shown to be manifested by no worse than Level IV hearing in the right ear and Level V in the left ear, warranting a 10 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity cold injury residuals, left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied as there is no competent evidence of current diagnoses or persistent symptoms related to these conditions.

The Veteran's request to reopen his previously denied claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not establish a link between his current hearing loss and military service.

The Board denied service connection for Hepatitis C, Erectile Dysfunction, and Diabetes Mellitus. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service, and therefore grants his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and increased evaluations for degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine, but remanded to obtain additional medical records and address representation issues.

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

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that new and material evidence had not been received.

The Veteran has a bilateral foot disability that is related to active service and is granted service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verifying service in Vietnam and obtaining a clarifying medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board finds that tinnitus was incurred during active service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a hearing loss disability for VA purposes and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The RO granted service connection for right ankle sprain with ligamentous laxity and assigned a 10 percent evaluation, which is upheld by the Board. However, the Veteran's initial ratings for right knee strain with infrapatellar tendonitis are denied as they do not meet the criteria for an increased rating.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to acoustic trauma sustained in active service. The Board finds that the evidence in favor of the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is at least in equipoise with that against the claim, and thus grants the claim.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss was found to have onset in service and is related to noise exposure during active duty, leading to the grant of service connection.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain VA treatment records from August 2007 to present, including any ear, nose, and throat consultations. The claim will be readjudicated after these records are obtained.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss but granted service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's current tinnitus is confirmed, while the status of his claimed bilateral hearing loss disability remains unclear.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss prior to July 17, 2009 was denied. The RO confirmed and continued the 20 percent rating as of that date.