Hearing loss decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, as there is no evidence of noise exposure during active duty. The VA examiner found that the onset of these conditions occurred decades after separation from service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's current hearing loss disability was not incurred in, aggravated by, or otherwise the result of his active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's low back pain was found to have been incurred during active service, and he is now granted service connection for this condition. However, his bilateral hearing loss disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding no credible and competent evidence to support his contention that he incurred this condition during active duty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability and bilateral hearing loss were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied reopening the claims for nasopharyngeal cancer and hearing loss due to lack of new and material evidence, as well as failure to establish service in Vietnam or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's appeal for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss from May 25, 2010 is denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for a new VA audiological examination, as well as obtaining any relevant treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was not aggravated during service and is not service-connected. The tinnitus, which is attributed to his pre-existing hearing loss, also does not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent, the minimum rating available under VA regulations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and development of medical records.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims at this time.

The Veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits was denied as he did not have the requisite wartime service. The Board found that his period of active duty ended after the termination of the Vietnam era and before the commencement of the Persian Gulf War, thus failing to meet the legal requirements for basic eligibility.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, warranting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus with vertigo were not shown to have originated during service or for many years thereafter, and are not related to any event that occurred during military service.,While the Veteran was given spectacles during service due to an apparent refractive error, neither chronic residuals of an eye injury nor an acquired chronic disability of the eyes are shown at any time.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are found to render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, with the benefit of doubt in his favor. His claim for TDIU is therefore granted.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the appeal can be decided, including obtaining a VA audiological examination to address whether the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and hepatitis C were denied. The claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was also denied.