Hearing loss decisions — 2009

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of in-service stressors and a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's claim for PTSD will also be reviewed based on verified in-service stressors.

The Veteran does not have a right ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes and the claim is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional records to be associated with his medical and claims files. The VAMC must locate and associate all relevant evidence, including private medical opinions and denials of his request for a full-size foam mattress.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for his left ear hearing loss disability is being remanded due to issues with the last known address and scheduling of a hearing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss was aggravated by service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated as non-compensable throughout the rating period on appeal due to his puretone thresholds and speech discrimination results not meeting criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated by service, and the Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against his claim.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently evaluated as 20 percent disabling. The RO found that the evidence did not show exceptional or unusual circumstances warranting referral for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a chronic right knee disorder or hearing loss of the right ear during service, and post-service medical records do not show these conditions. Therefore, service connection for these conditions cannot be granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evaluation and notification due to the need for a VA audiological examination and updated notice.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and clarifying the relationship between his current hearing loss and noise exposure in the Wisconsin Air National Guard.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, in combination, have not been shown to be of such severity as to preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is manifested by no worse than Level I hearing in both ears, and the criteria for a compensable rating have not been met.

The Veteran's hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not alone preclude him from obtaining and retaining all forms of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and work experience.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination for both right and left ear hearing loss.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not manifest in service or within one year thereafter, and thus denied service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA audiological examination and consideration of his testimony regarding functional effects caused by his hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence of current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, a chronic right shoulder disability, or an increase in the evaluation for his right ankle fracture with osteoarthritis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate consideration of whether good cause was shown for his failure to report for a VA examination, and because VA did not fulfill its duty to assist in obtaining private treatment records. The case is now remanded for further action.