Hearing loss decisions — 2007

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations for tinnitus and left ear hearing loss, as well as his request for an earlier effective date for service connection of tinnitus. The claim for a back disorder was reopened but not granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's disability evaluation guidelines.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim. His bilateral hearing loss issue is pending due to a lack of relevant records.

The veteran's claims for PTSD, left shoulder dislocation, tinnitus, and hearing loss were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied service connection for right hip arthritis. Bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to in-service noise exposure, while the right hip disorder is not shown within one year of separation from service.

The Board has determined that the claims for impotency, hearing loss, cervical spine disorder, and skin rash should be remanded due to procedural defects in their adjudication.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by active military service, nor may a sensorineural hearing loss be presumed to have been so incurred.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, and thus denied these claims.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess any current heart disorder. The veteran will also be provided with another supplemental statement of the case if his claims remain denied.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for right ear hearing loss due to new evidence. The claims of service connection for coronary artery disease, hypertension, residuals of a cerebrovascular accident, and residuals of a laceration of the left thumb are remanded for further development.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, PTSD, and diabetic neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities have been dismissed.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for his bilateral hearing loss disability and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation or TDIU based on his service-connected condition.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the veteran's current conditions are related to his active military service.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to have been incurred in service, while his tinnitus is not related to service.

The VA has determined that the veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes and therefore, service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ear hearing loss disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty and may not be presumed. As a result, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, right ear hearing loss, and a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss. The veteran did not have current diagnoses of these conditions attributable to his military service.

The veteran's claims of service connection for a low back disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development including VA examinations.