Hearing loss decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are not related to service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus for VA purposes, and thus service connection is denied.

The veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities, including hearing loss and knee conditions, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that he is entitled to a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were first diagnosed post-service, and there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service. The preponderance of the evidence is against the claims for service connection.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new VA audiology examination.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and determined that it is related to military service, granting the claim.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his post-traumatic stress disorder and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable disability evaluation criteria.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the eligibility requirements for vocational rehabilitation benefits under Chapter 31 of Title 38, United States Code.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, as there was no evidence of such conditions during service or for many years after service. The VA examiner could not provide a medically sound basis to attribute current hearing loss and tinnitus to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current left ankle disability or bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and service connection for these conditions is denied. The veteran's left retina detachment is currently rated at 10%.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss as defined by VA's regulations, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, post-traumatic stress disorder, and an eye disorder due to his failure to report for VA examinations. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that the veteran's current condition is causally linked to his in-service noise exposure. However, conversational range hearing loss was not shown.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to acoustic trauma sustained during military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss are denied as there is no competent medical evidence showing that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a left knee disorder. The decision found no current disability related to these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are not related to service, as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during service or within one year post-service. The VA examiner opined that these conditions are more likely due to age-related factors.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and granted it, finding new and material evidence to support the claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional evidence and development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of the veteran's hearing loss. The RO must also consider whether referral under 38 C.F.R. § 3.321(b)(1) is appropriate.