Hearing loss decisions — 2011

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that his preexisting conditions did not worsen during service or were otherwise related to military service.

The Veteran's appeal for initial compensable evaluations for his service-connected right shoulder acromioclavicular separation, left ear hearing loss, residuals of left shoulder dislocation, right knee chondromalacia patella, and left knee chondromalacia patella has been denied. The appeals were dismissed due to the Veteran's request for withdrawal at the Board hearing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for colon cancer, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus had their onset during active service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no new and material evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure to appear for a requested personal hearing. The issues of service connection are pending.

The Veteran's appeal for higher initial ratings for tinnitus and right ear hearing loss disability was denied. The RO granted service connection for tinnitus but assigned a maximum 10 percent evaluation, which is the highest rating available under VA regulations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to service exposure, and he has been granted service connection for this condition. The claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (to include PTSD and major depressive disorder) remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete service records and the need for further examination regarding his hearing loss, tinnitus, and potential service connection claims.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim and granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to noise exposure during military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and finds that it is warranted due to in-service noise exposure, resolving all doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not manifest during service or for many years thereafter, nor are they otherwise related to such service. Therefore, service connection was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including additional evaluations and medical opinions regarding his bilateral hearing loss and psoriasis.

The Veteran's service-connected left ear hearing loss is currently rated as zero percent disabling, which is the minimum rating possible under VA criteria. The Board finds that a compensable evaluation is not warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and recurrent tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by active service, and may not be presumed to have been incurred therein. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability was not incurred in or aggravated by his active service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is manifested by level I hearing acuity in both ears, which does not warrant a higher disability evaluation.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated by his military service, and the Board found no credible evidence to support a connection between his in-service noise exposure and his current condition.

The Board is remanding the case to issue a statement of the case on whether the November 1956 rating decision, which reduced the evaluation of bilateral hearing loss disability from 10 percent disabling to noncompensable, contained clear and unmistakable error (CUE).