Hearing loss decisions — 2010

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, which was previously rated at 40 percent, is now rated at 50 percent since August 5, 2008.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing. The claims of service connection and disability rating will be further evaluated after the hearing.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA pension examination to determine the nature, extent and severity of all disabilities found to be present. The RO should assign a rating for each of the Veteran's disabilities based on this information.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise with respect to whether the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability had its onset during active service. As such, the claim for service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability is granted.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claims can be adjudicated, including obtaining a VA examination to determine if the appellant's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's right ear traumatic injury residuals with bilateral hearing loss disability in an April 2007 rating decision.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The medical evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current hearing loss is related to active duty service, thus granting service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Veteran was granted a non-compensable evaluation for his hearing loss in the right ear, but his claim for an initial compensable rating for his hearing loss in the left ear remains denied.

The Board has determined that further action is needed to comply with VA's duty to assist, and the case is REMANDED for additional development.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes and therefore service connection cannot be granted.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as to address the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board has granted the appellant's application to reopen his claims for service connection for hearing loss disability and tinnitus. The VA will conduct a VA audiological examination to determine if the appellant currently has a hearing loss disability related to service.

The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's disability rating for bilateral hearing loss from 50 percent to noncompensable was proper and denied the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied, and his TDIU claim was also denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current disability of tinnitus and thus cannot establish service connection.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss, but affirmed other issues. The Court remanded the case due to inadequate medical examinations and because the Board erred in not considering the Veteran's eligibility for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service, and the VA examinations did not establish a link between current hearing loss and tinnitus and military service. The Veteran's claims for service connection were therefore denied.