Hearing loss decisions — 2004

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss in the right ear and frostbite of the feet, finding no evidence to support these claims.

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

The Board has determined that the appellant's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus are related to military service, while his back disorder is not shown to have been present in or aggravated by military service.

The Board has vacated the previous decision and remanded the case for additional development due to legal issues, including invalidation of a regulation by the Federal Circuit Court. The veteran's claim is being returned to the RO for further review.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new and material evidence submitted since the April 1976 rating decision. The issue of service connection for tinnitus and vertigo is remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and initial disability evaluations for his acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, left upper extremity weakness due to status post left elbow fracture dislocation, L5-S1 disc annular tear with lower back pain, and asthma. The appeals were based on direct evidence of these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, finding that the earliest date of entitlement was April 4, 2001.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the veteran's current conditions are likely related to his in-service noise exposure. The decision affords the benefit of doubt to the veteran.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not related to his active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that the current rating adequately reflects the severity of his condition.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeal due to a lack of timely filing of a substantive appeal for his claim of entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for right knee chondromalacia.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the M&ROC for clarification and initial consideration of his claims, including skin cancer which was not addressed in the previous rating decision.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development and evidence.

The veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between his current hearing loss and active duty noise exposure. The RO must attempt to obtain records from the railroad, schedule audiologic and otolaryngologic examinations, and review all new evidence before readjudicating the issue.

The VA determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not etiologically related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and further development is required.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and headaches are service-connected.

The Board finds that the veteran's right ear hearing loss is service-connected due to in-service noise exposure. The condition was not pre-existing and did not undergo a natural progression during service.

The veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and vestibular symptoms with dizziness. The claim will be remanded to obtain additional medical records and seek clarification from the VA examiner.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and arranging for a VA examination to assess the severity of his bilateral hearing loss.