Hearing loss decisions — 2012

The Board found that the appellant did not have hearing loss or tinnitus due to service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are at least as likely as not related to his military service, including exposure to loud jet engine noise during flight line duties. As such, the criteria for service connection have been met.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA outpatient treatment records and considering the amended skin evaluation regulations effective October 23, 2008. The claims for increase on keloids of the chest, service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and fecal incontinence are pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within a year of his discharge from service.

The Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes due to noise exposure during active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for clarification from Dr. Ballecer regarding a Maryland CNC test conducted in March 2006, and for further development.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not related to his active service.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability or a disability of service origin. The Board found that the cause of death, end stage chronic COPD, was not related to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus, tinnitus, and malaria/bilateral hearing loss, combine to be 80% disabling. However, the evidence does not support a finding that he is unemployable due solely to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient consideration of his lay assertions regarding in-service symptoms and post-service complaints.

The Board has remanded the case for further action due to conflicting medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran currently has a bilateral hearing loss disability. A second VA audiological examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current hearing loss disability is related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and providing a new VA examination to address the Veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee disability, and right knee disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there was no credible evidence of noise exposure during service and post-service occupational noise exposure is more likely responsible for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is due to noise exposure during his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's reports of ringing in his ears during and since service are credible. The hearing loss claim is remanded to obtain a VA examination to determine if the Veteran currently has bilateral hearing loss as defined by VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the case for a hearing before the RO and to send notification to the correct representative. The Veteran's claims regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression), and sleeplessness are pending.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for depression was granted effective January 16, 2007. The effective date for additional benefits based on dependency was established as September 1, 2006.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD. As a result, these issues are dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to provide new opinions regarding the etiology of his hearing loss and hypertension. The claims will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Board has remanded the case due to scheduling issues and will be scheduled for a Travel Board hearing at the local RO in Roanoke, Virginia.