Hearing loss decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted, with the exception of his claim for bilateral hearing loss. The remaining claims were granted based on presumptive service connection due to exposure in the Gulf War Theater.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, knee disorders, shoulder disorders, elbow disorders, wrist and hand disorders, low back disorder, right ankle disorder, and TMJ (chronic pain), were denied as these conditions are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his service, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by active service, nor are they related to such service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and outstanding private treatment records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss will be reconsidered based on all available evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including audiometric and skin examinations to determine the nature of his hearing loss, dermatitis, and scalp conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain relevant records and determine the relationship between his current conditions and service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including whether they are related to service. The case will be remanded for further action.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active service, as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a current disability. The Veteran's current hearing loss was first noted many years after service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied the claims of right and left ear hearing loss due to lack of evidence linking current hearing loss to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for right ear hearing loss and an initial, compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae due to withdrawal of these claims by the Veteran. The remaining claims for higher ratings for hip and groin disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's initial claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was granted, and he is now receiving a noncompensable rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as there is no evidence of current disability, with the exception of a few instances where he reported ringing in his ears. The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection under the applicable laws and regulations.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus that is related to service. The VA examiner concluded it was less likely as not that his hearing loss and tinnitus were caused by noise exposure in service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and providing a VA examination to determine the relationship between his current hearing loss and tinnitus and service.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a hearing loss disability and tinnitus were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current, identifiable hearing loss disability under VA regulations, thus denying the claim for service connection. For the effective date claim, the Board determined that an earlier effective date was not warranted.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss was not shown to be related to his service, and the Board found that it is more likely due to noise exposure after service. Service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations, as well as consideration of new evidence. The issues include reopening a claim for right eye disability, tinnitus, PTSD, and hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address service connection and TDIU claims, including clarification of the Veteran's claim for a back disorder.