Hearing loss decisions — 2005

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the veteran was exposed to noise during service. Service connection for irritable bowel syndrome is denied as there is no evidence linking it to military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for a VA examination to determine if the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development of the record, including obtaining medical records and providing VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and chronic sinusitis. The appeals for increased ratings for left shoulder impingement syndrome and degenerative joint disease of the left knee are being remanded.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's hearing loss is not related to his active service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his exposure to acoustic trauma/injury in active service.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions, including back strain, left elbow disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The veteran's initial claim for a compensable evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss has been remanded due to procedural defects and the need for additional development.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) denied an increased evaluation for service-connected hearing loss disability, but the case was remanded for further development and examination.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to military noise exposure. The claim for back disability remains in a reopened status but will require further development, including obtaining the veteran's service personnel records and providing him with an examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service, as there was no evidence of a nexus between his in-service noise exposure and his postservice hearing loss. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected bilateral high frequency sensorineural hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not show that his condition warranted a compensable evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, bilateral knee disorder, bilateral elbow disorder, and low back disorder. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service injury or disease that led to these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulations, and therefore service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The claim for service connection for schizophrenia was not considered as it had already been previously denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and determining the nature and etiology of his claimed lung disability.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to unclear medical evidence regarding their etiology.

The VA has denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, currently rated at 60 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and separate 10 percent evaluations for each ear for tinnitus, finding that the maximum schedular rating had been granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ear hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under the applicable VA rating schedule.