Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated during his military service, as there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure leading to permanent negative impact on hearing. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus is as likely as not attributable to his active military service, and the Board grants entitlement to service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has decided that a VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service. The appeal will be remanded for this purpose.

The Board has granted the appellant's request to reopen his claims for service connection for a back disability and bilateral hearing loss, finding new and material evidence. The claim of service connection for tinnitus was also reopened.,Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as both conditions are found to be at least as likely as not attributable to active service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, left ankle disorder, left shoulder disorder, right wrist disorder, and left knee disorder were previously denied due to lack of current diagnoses. New evidence has been submitted that raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Veteran's hearing manifested by no more than Level I hearing acuity bilaterally, and the Board finds that the criteria for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss have not been met or approximated.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for right ear hearing loss was denied as he does not have a current disability for VA purposes.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss was not found to be related to his military service, and the Board denied his claim for service connection. The Veteran also sought TDIU based on his service-connected psychiatric disability, but the Board determined that he did not meet the criteria for a TDIU as his single service-connected condition does not meet the required percentage rating threshold.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was rated at 10 percent effective July 20, 2013. The rating has been granted and is not in excess of the assigned percentage.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss, left knee degenerative joint disease, and right knee degenerative joint disease. The Veteran's claims were based on direct service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his service, as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a current disability within one year after separation from service. The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's hearing loss was more likely due to post-service noise exposure at Dow-Corning.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to the need for VA treatment records and a supplemental opinion from the relevant VA examiners.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently evaluated at a 10 percent rating, and the Board finds that this evaluation adequately reflects his disability picture.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for spondylosis of the thoracolumbar spine has been granted. The claims for allergies, hearing loss, glaucoma, and rheumatoid arthritis and/or arthritis of the cervical spine, elbows, wrists, and hips have also been granted with appropriate ratings. Other claims were denied.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions and records in order to properly adjudicate the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss during service or for many years after discharge, and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss. The respiratory disorder claim was also denied as there is no indication of exposure to herbicides or other known risk factors. Service connection for PTSD was not granted due to lack of in-service diagnosis.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the 30 percent evaluation of his bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board finds that no evidence prior to May 27, 2008, established that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss warranted a 30 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and the Board found no presumption of service connection due to exposure to noise.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not shown to have developed during service or as a result of service, thus the claims for these conditions are denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of tinnitus and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied. For hearing loss, the claim will be remanded to obtain additional medical evidence and to schedule an examination. The skin cancer claim will also be remanded as it involves a determination regarding whether the condition was incurred in or aggravated by military service.