Hearing loss decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a bilateral hearing loss disability under VA standards and therefore, service connection for this condition cannot be established.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service, including noise exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a sinus condition, and lumbar strain with mild degenerative disc disease and L5-S1 radiculopathy. The evidence did not show chronic conditions related to these disabilities during or after service.

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

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for disabilities of the right arm, hands, feet, and eyes, and disability manifested by a sensation of tightening and/or closing of the throat. The issues on appeal include whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen his claim for hearing loss, as well as his claim for tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for additional examinations. The Veteran's claims for service connection, increased evaluations, and gastroesophageal reflux disease are pending.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, hearing loss, tinnitus, and a pulmonary disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development including VA examinations.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection of bilateral hearing loss disability. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is found to have originated during his active service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. For tinnitus, the Board finds that it also originated during his active service.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he attributes to in-service noise exposure. The Board finds that a VA examination is necessary to determine if the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Veteran's current hearing loss was not shown during service or within one year of separation, and the VA examiner found no link between his in-service noise exposure and his current condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and etiology opinion considering his noise exposure during Reserve service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions as accrued benefits were granted. The conditions include a back disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, kidney disorder, respiratory disorder (including lung disorder and shortness of breath), gastrointestinal disorder other than adenocarcinoma of the stomach, headache disorder, skin disorder, and urinary bladder disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability, a psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), or a skin disorder (chronic dermatitis and onychomycosis) due to service. The decision is in favor of granting service connection for the skin disorder.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a lumbar spine disability. The evidence received since the last final denial shows current hearing loss that meets VA criteria for consideration as a disability, and suggests that the Veteran's hearing loss is related to acoustic trauma sustained in service. The Board also finds new and material evidence relating the Veteran's back disability to an incident during active service.

The Board found no evidence of a causal connection between the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and his military service, as there was no documented noise exposure during service. The VA examiner concluded that it was less than 50% likely that the Veteran's hearing loss is related to military service.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is not related to service, but his left ear hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus are causally linked to military service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for right ear hearing loss has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The erectile dysfunction claim was found to be noncompensably disabling, the bilateral hearing loss disability claim did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating, and the allergic rhinitis, left shoulder disability, and diabetes mellitus type II claims were also denied.

The Veteran's death was not determined to be service-connected, and the claim for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is denied as he did not meet the eligibility criteria.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board grants service connection for HIV.