Hearing loss decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new VA audiometric examination.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and low back strain.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected conditions and obtain relevant medical records.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was found to be incurred in service due to exposure to gunfire noise during military training and competitions, and the Board determined that this is a direct result of his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is service-connected, with the opinion of his private physician being given more weight than that of the VA examiner. The Veteran served in combat and experienced noise exposure during military service.

The Board has found that there is no competent evidence linking the Veteran's currently existing hearing loss to his active duty service. The Board also finds that there is no competent medical evidence documenting sensorineural hearing loss for VA purposes within one year of the Veteran's discharge, which would allow for a grant of service connection on a presumptive basis. As such, the claim for bilateral hearing loss has been denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral sensorineural hearing loss disability. The appeal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for dermatofibrosis; Bowen's disease (claimed as soft tissue sarcoma) is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical examination and needs further evaluation of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the appellant's exposure to noise during his National Guard service and to evaluate his current hearing loss and tinnitus. The case will be returned for further action.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is manifested by audiometric test results corresponding to numeric designations no worse than Level I in each ear and by speech recognition ability no worse than 96% in each ear. The criteria for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss have not been met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to service, while his left ear hearing loss does not meet VA criteria for a disability. The claim for right ear hearing loss is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss did not have its onset during active service or result from disease or injury in service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for bilateral hearing loss since December 7, 2006 was granted and he is currently rated at 100 percent.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for right ear hearing loss. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is granted as it was incurred during active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical evidence and for a new VA audiological evaluation. The issue of entitlement to an increased disability evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss disability will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was previously rated at 10 percent prior to November 1, 2006. Since then, his hearing acuity has not worsened enough to warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's headaches are aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.,The Veteran has been diagnosed with chloracne, presumed due to Agent Orange exposure during his Vietnam service.,There is no evidence of a current hearing loss or tinnitus that can be linked to the Veteran's military service. The Board finds that service connection for these conditions cannot be granted.,The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection and initial rating of hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for further medical development.

The Veteran's request for a hearing before the Board has been noted, and his name will be placed on the docket for a Travel Board hearing at the RO. The appeal is being remanded to allow this process to occur.