Hearing loss decisions — 2011

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, a back disorder, a neck disorder, and nerve damage to the bilateral legs. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right shoulder disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and right hip disorder are denied as there is no competent evidence showing a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the presence of PTSD, hearing loss, and a dental disorder.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no credible evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence showing that his current condition is related to active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to concerns about the adequacy of recent VA examinations for his service-connected skin and hearing loss disabilities. He contends that these conditions have worsened since his last evaluations.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his anxiety disorder. The claims are being remanded for additional examinations and consideration of all relevant evidence.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional development of records.

The Veteran's claimed hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, nor may they be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board has determined that a new VA audio examination is necessary to address the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus. The case will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, meeting the criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to reopening a claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as concerns about proper VCAA notice and development of evidence. The Veteran's claims are being returned to the RO for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his bilateral hearing loss and determine eligibility for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance. The claims will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he claims are related to noise exposure during his military service. However, the Board notes that his primary MOS was as a cook, not an infantryman, and there is no evidence of in-service acoustic trauma. The case is REMANDED for further development including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA audiological examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with the audiometric examination results and for further development.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection are denied as the claims were received after one year from his discharge.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not show that his disability warranted such a rating.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and PTSD, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his in-service stressors. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, hypertrophic actinic keratosis, skin cancer (general), Barrett's esophagus, and fractured vertebrae, lumbar spine. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new VA audiological examination to assess the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss, and for consideration of an extraschedular evaluation due to its impact on employment.