Hearing loss decisions — 2011

The Veteran's arteriosclerotic heart disease (coronary artery disease) is presumed to have been incurred during active military service due to herbicide exposure. The remaining issues are remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no credible evidence of a connection between his current diagnoses and his active military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if his preexisting hearing loss was aggravated by active duty service.

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

The Board found no evidence of a causal relationship between the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and his active service, including exposure to noise. The claim was denied as there is insufficient medical evidence to support the assertion that the hearing loss is related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disorders are due to service, warranting service connection for each claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as new and material evidence was not presented, tinnitus was not shown to be related to service, and a skin condition on the hands was not found.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and compensable ratings, finding no evidence of entitlement to these benefits within a year before May 30, 2006. The claim for service connection for vertigo was remanded.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to missing service treatment records, inadequate VA examination opinions, and the need to obtain updated VA outpatient records and private audiologist records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and PTSD are likely due to noise exposure during service, and therefore grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss must be denied as there is no evidence of a disease or injury incurred during active duty, and the Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and VA compensation examinations to determine if the Veteran has current disabilities related to his period of active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded due to the need for another VA examination and further development.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the current disabilities are at least as likely as not caused by in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board dismissed the appeals for both issues as they were already decided and no new evidence was submitted to reopen the right ear hearing loss claim.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions were not incurred in or related to his active military service.

The Board found that the appellant's right ear hearing loss disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and may not be presumed to have been so incurred or aggravated.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and a disability of the thoracolumbar spine. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss was incurred in active service. His left ear hearing loss did not manifest until after service or be related to service. Tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The preponderance of evidence shows that the Veteran's current thoracolumbar spine disability did not manifest until many years after active service and is not related to complaints of back pain in service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and degenerative arthritis of the right elbow were denied as his conditions do not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.