Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran is required to undergo a new VA examination to determine if his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss is due to in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

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

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability, an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, and an initial compensable rating for right lower leg scar. The appeals were addressed in the remand portion of this decision.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability evaluation in excess of 50 percent for bilateral hearing loss disability prior to November 1, 2009 is denied. The claim for a disability evaluation in excess of 40 percent from November 1, 2009 to August 17, 2011 and in excess of 60 percent from August 18, 2011 is also denied.

The Board has decided that further development is needed, including obtaining VA treatment records from the Upland VA clinic. The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus will be remanded to the RO.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not warrant a compensable or higher rating prior to July 30, 2012 and after that date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a video conference hearing at the nearest VA facility to her current residence in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable as of July 14, 2009. His combined disability rating is 80 percent with consideration of the bilateral factor.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and hearing loss have been reopened, but the evidence received since the September 2002 rating decision is not sufficient to reopen the claim for hearing loss. The effective dates for service connection remain unchanged.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, skin disorder, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. The issues were not fully addressed as some of them are related to existing conditions or have been previously adjudicated.

The VA determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss as defined by VA regulation and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional medical records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes and therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The claim of tinnitus was also denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable since July 2006 and was upgraded to zero percent effective June 14, 2007. The current evaluation is not sufficient for the Veteran's claim.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence is not new and material, thus denying the Veteran's requests to reopen his claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a disability manifested by jaundice as there was no evidence of current disabilities or a nexus to service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's neck cancer may be related to his presumed exposure to Agent Orange during service. The hearing loss claim is also remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service and concluded that the current conditions are not related to military service, including exposure to noise. The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic low back disability in service or within one year post-service, and concluded that the Veteran's current low back condition is not related to his military service. For bilateral hearing loss, the Board noted exposure to loud noises during service but did not find sufficient medical evidence linking it to service.