Hearing loss decisions — 2011

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claim for service connection for tinnitus is remanded due to incomplete reasoning and need for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, which is secondary to his service-connected migraine headaches, has been remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is granted as his current hearing loss disability is related to noise trauma in service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not currently have a disability that meets the VA definition of hearing loss. The claims for hip, low back, left knee, and left ankle disabilities are remanded to obtain treatment records from Hohenfels, Germany, and to provide an opinion regarding their etiology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his right ear did not have a current disability due to in-service noise exposure and thus could not be presumed. The left ear was also found to lack a current disability.

The Veteran died from senile dementia, Alzheimer's type. The cause of death is not service-connected and the claim for DIC benefits under section 1318 was remanded due to incomplete records and need for a medical opinion.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if these conditions are related to his period of service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The issue of entitlement to a higher initial rating for posttraumatic disorder is remanded and will be addressed in a Statement of the Case.

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

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no current diagnosis of hearing loss meeting the criteria under 38 C.F.R. § 3.385.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder that was incurred or aggravated by his active service. The claims for a skin disorder, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, low back disorder and bilateral leg disorder are also denied as there is insufficient evidence to support these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, headaches, and TMJ disorder do not warrant a compensable rating at any time during the period covered by this appeal.

The Veteran's initial rating for bilateral hearing loss and right ankle disorder were denied as they did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to address the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and providing him with appropriate VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the unavailability of his service treatment records. The Board requires a VA examination to determine if he currently has these conditions, their etiology, and whether they are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are associated with in-service noise exposure, and thus service connection is granted. However, there is no current right ear hearing loss disability to support a claim for service connection.

The Board found that a bilateral hearing loss disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection. The claimant did not have a hearing loss disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.385 before March 2006, which is when it was first diagnosed after service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral hearing loss and skin rash.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure, which is conceded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus for VA purposes, and thus service connection is denied.