Hearing loss decisions — 2009

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss was remanded to the RO for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and left ear otitis media, and found that the veteran did not meet the criteria for increased initial evaluations for his other conditions.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and peripheral neuropathy as the preponderance of evidence was against these claims. The veteran's PTSD rating was also denied as it did not meet the criteria for a higher initial rating.

The appeal is remanded to the Board of Veterans' Appeals for further development and consideration.

The veteran's service connection claim for labyrinthitis was granted, and the initial evaluation was increased to 30 percent effective from September 14, 2007. The claims for a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss and an initial compensable evaluation for labyrinthitis prior to September 14, 2007 were denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as the evidence did not support higher ratings or additional compensation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there was no competent evidence of a current diagnosis or any relationship to service.

The appeal is remanded to obtain additional evidence and conduct further development of the claims for service connection for various disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied increased ratings for the orthopedic and neurological manifestations of a low back disability.

The veteran's right ear hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating based on the results of his VA examinations.

The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for diabetic nephropathy with hypertension, are being remanded to obtain additional evidence.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss was found to be related to his service due to credible accounts of noise exposure and the absence of evidence for other significant post-service noise exposure.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected due to a causal relationship with military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, granted a 10% rating for the residuals of a traumatic crush injury to the fifth digit of the left hand, and denied an effective date prior to October 20, 2005, for the grant of service connection for tinnitus.

The Board remands the case to schedule a hearing for the Veteran before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Board denied the veteran's appeal for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss, as the reduction from a 30 percent rating to a 20 percent rating was found to be warranted based on the results of a VA audiological examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was found to be etiologically related to in-service noise exposure, and service connection was granted.

The appeal was remanded for an additional medical nexus opinion due to the equivocal nature of the previous VA examiner's opinion.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date was denied as the earliest possible effective date that could be assigned is July 18, 2003, the date of receipt of his claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable disability rating prior to November 15, 2007 and an increased rating of more than 20 percent from that date.