Hearing loss decisions — 2011

The Board has determined that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's tinnitus was incurred during his active service in the Navy. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a nexus to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a left knee disability. The Veteran will be provided an opportunity to obtain clarification of his April 2008 private audiological examination findings, as well as a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current hearing loss and left knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to the RO for further development, including VA examinations and consideration of extraschedular ratings. Service connection claims are also remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection are being remanded due to his request for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active military service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The case is being remanded to determine if the Veteran's current hearing loss is related to his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that this rating is appropriate based on the evidence provided.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including an audiological examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by his military service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the appellant's claims for service connection, non-service-connected death pension benefits, and accrued benefits due to her spouse's death. Specifically, a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability was a contributory cause of his death needs to be obtained.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for service connection of hearing loss, finding that the earliest possible effective date is July 13, 2009, when he filed to reopen his claim. The decision states there was no legal entitlement to an earlier effective date prior to this filing.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the appellant's exposure to noise during military service and the relationship between his current hearing loss and tinnitus and such exposure. The appellant is asked to provide information about any audiometric testing conducted, and a VA examination will be scheduled to determine if he currently has hearing loss or tinnitus as a result of in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, so his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his in-service noise exposure without hearing protection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to evaluate the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, chronic tinnitus, a chronic skin disorder (claimed as eczema and/or chloracne), peripheral neuropathy, and Type II diabetes mellitus were all denied. The evidence did not show any in-service or post-service connection to these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and Meniere's disease, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence that these conditions preexisted service or were aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA audiologist to provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's current hearing loss is due to hazardous noise exposure in service. The examiner must consider additional private medical records and lay statements submitted by the Veteran.