 

Finally, throughout the appeal period the Veteran contends that he had hearing loss in service.  For example, in the October 2012 statement the Veteran noted that his first experience with hearing problems occurred when he flew in a non-pressurized aircraft to Japan and back to Korea.  In October 2012 the Veteran's spouse stated that his hearing acuity has been declining over the last 52 years since she has been with him.  Thus the Board finds the Veteran's statements are competent and credible and uncontroverted by the other evidence of record.  Layno v. Brown, 6 Vet. App. 465, 469-70 (1994); Caluza v. Brown, 7 Vet. App. 498, 511 (1995).  Accordingly, the onset of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was during service and serviceT.C.A. § 50-6-108.
The facts are generally undisputed. Plaintiff is an employee of Mid-South Maintenance. On April 16, 1985 Mid-South Maintenance entered into a contract with defendant for Mid-South Maintenance to "install process piping and process equipment for the manufacturer of wet product in the Market Development Unit in the existing protein processing plant." On June 24, 1985 while working at defendant's plant, plaintiff slipped and fell from a ladder and he suffered injuries to his back, left arm, hand, wrist, and left knee. In his complaint plaintiff asserts that his injuries are the direct and proximate cause of defendant's negligence because the area where plaintiff was working was covered with slippery chemicals from tanks and lines and defendant should have known of the defective condition. Plaintiff obtained worker's