Hearing loss decisions — 2005

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

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability does not warrant a compensable evaluation since the effective date of service connection, and thus denied his claim for an initial, compensable disability evaluation.

The Board has denied the veteran's request to restore a 10 percent rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, and headaches. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The veteran's hearing loss in the right ear is rated at 10 percent prior to December 6, 2002 and at 20 percent after that date.,Chronic otitis media of the right ear is currently rated at 10 percent.,There are no issues regarding service connection or exposure basis.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are more likely than not related to noise exposure during his military service, leading to a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The case is now REMANDED to obtain a VA examination and readjudicate the claims.

The RO denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a higher initial rating for asbestosis. The veteran is still seeking these benefits.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a heart disorder. However, due to additional development being necessary, the claim is REMANDED to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC). The veteran's bilateral hearing loss was granted an initial noncompensable rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not related to any incident of service, including noise exposure. As a result, service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The veteran's appeal was denied for the requested increased evaluations. The service-connected residuals of the surgical removal of a neuroma in the left ear with hearing loss are currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated during active service, nor could they be presumed to have been incurred therein. The evidence did not show a current disability manifested by hearing loss and tinnitus during service or within one year of discharge, and there was no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to the veteran's military service.

The veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is not rated as compensable due to the average pure tone thresholds and speech discrimination percentages not meeting the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not related to his active service and has denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn before the Board could make a decision.

The Board found that the veteran's pre-existing left ear hearing loss was not aggravated in service and concluded that it is not related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding no medical evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be attributable to acoustic trauma experienced during active service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it was incurred in active service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA audiological examination to determine the current severity of the veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The appeal will be reconsidered after this additional development.