Hearing loss decisions — 2011

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and bilateral ear infections, resolving the benefit of doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss in his left ear is likely due to military service, and granted service connection for this condition. For his left ankle disability, the Board determined there was no evidence of a compensable degree of arthritis within one year post-service, and thus denied service connection.

Service connection for a left knee disorder, bilateral pes planus, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred during military service.,The VA examinations did not find any medical relationship between the Veteran's current diagnoses and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated as 10 percent disabling since March 11, 2010. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of at least a 20 percent disability rating for the entire appeal period.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a bilateral eye disability, asbestosis, hepatitis C, arthritis of all joints, sinusitis, HIV, and recurrent pneumonia. The Board also denied his claim for an increased rating for residuals of a chip fracture of the right thumb.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his military service, specifically exposure to excessive noise. His claims for other conditions are denied as there is no evidence of current disability or a link to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and records to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and pulmonary asbestosis with asthma and COPD.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and SSA records.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, liver disability, a disability of the bilateral lower extremities, a bilateral knee disability, and a bilateral shoulder disability are not supported by the evidence. The claim for lung disability is denied as it was not addressed in this decision.

The Board found that the appellant's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to his period of active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a travel Board hearing. The issues of entitlement to service connection and initial compensable rating for various conditions are pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability, an upper torso skeletal condition, and PTSD. The evidence did not establish current disabilities related to these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a skin condition (including as secondary to Agent Orange exposure) are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms of decreased hearing and ringing in the ears began during or shortly after his military service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further examination and analysis to determine the cumulative effect of his service-connected conditions on his employability.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied by the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and his active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to in-service noise exposure. The earliest possible effective date of December 21, 2004, for the award of service connection for residuals of a pilonidal cystectomy is also established.