Hearing loss decisions — 2011

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable throughout the entire initial rating period. The audiometric testing results have consistently shown Level III hearing acuity in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable disability evaluation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an extraschedular disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of marked interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization due to his service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's failure to appear for a VA examination, and the claim is now pending again.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Board found that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence to show that any of these conditions were pre-existing or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected disabilities is 40%, which does not meet the threshold criteria for schedular consideration of a TDIU. The Board finds that, considering all evidence of record, including the Veteran's age and non-service-connected conditions, his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board's June 29, 2010 decision is being vacated due to the failure to consider relevant evidence identified by the Veteran.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was rated at 30 percent from June 16, 2005 to September 3, 2009. The claim for service connection of a right shoulder disability has been reopened and is now considered. A TDIU rating has also been granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for five issues related to service connection and evaluations of various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy, and PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, chronic pain syndrome, and an acquired psychiatric disorder were denied. The Veteran was also denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for his right wrist disability prior to November 18, 2005, and a rating in excess of 20 percent since that date. Service connection for TDIU was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current diagnosis of hearing loss. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar degenerative disc disease and a separate compensable rating for left knee arthritis with painful motion are also denied.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Board has determined that the appellant's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are attributable to service, resulting in a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for bilateral hearing loss and knee disabilities were denied as the evidence did not show that his conditions warranted a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of an injury to the mouth, finding that it is as likely as not related to service. Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied due to lack of in-service evidence or continuity of symptomatology.

The Board found that the Veteran's conduct and cooperation were not satisfactory, leading to the discontinuance of his vocational rehabilitation benefits.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities, which are currently considered service-connected. The Veteran needs a VA examination to determine if his current hearing loss and/or tinnitus are causally related to his military service.

The appeal is being remanded due to procedural defects in the rating decision, specifically regarding the reduction of the disability rating for bilateral hearing loss and the consideration of a claim under 38 C.F.R. � 3.324.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss due to the need for an additional VA audio examination.