Hearing loss decisions — 2009

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA audiological examination to determine the severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

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

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are also addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is causally related to noise exposure during active military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not warrant a higher initial rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Veteran does not have hearing loss or tinnitus that is related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional audiometric evaluations and treatment records, as well as a statement of the case on his dental disorder claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not have onset in service or within one year of service, were not caused by his active service, and therefore denied the claims for service connection.

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

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a right wrist disorder, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service. The claim for an increased disability rating for left wrist fracture residuals was also denied.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a disability as defined by VA regulations.,For his left ear, there is current evidence of hearing loss to an extent recognized as a disability. However, the only competent opinion found in the record indicates that the hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current disabilities and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as the appellant requested to withdraw his appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss and glaucoma of the right eye was denied. The Veteran is not entitled to a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed right ear 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 left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his service, including in-service noise exposure. As such, these conditions have been granted service connection.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current right ear hearing loss is not related to his active duty service and does not qualify as Federal National Guard service. Therefore, service connection cannot be established.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not etiologically related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for various disabilities, including weakness of the left and right upper extremities, scars, tinnitus, numbness of the scalp, a neck scar, hypertension, and left ear hearing loss, are denied as they attempt to vitiate the finality of the February 2003 rating decision assigning an effective date of October 9, 2001.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is currently evaluated at 50 percent, and an increased rating beyond this level is not warranted.