Hearing loss decisions — 2011

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current disability of left ear hearing loss, and there is no credible evidence linking his current condition to service. The most probative medical evidence weighs against the claim.

The Board has determined that a new VA audiology examination is needed to determine the relationship between the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus and his military service, as the previous examiner could not provide an opinion without resorting to speculation.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was withdrawn. The Board found that the Veteran's residuals of TBI, including memory loss, migraine headaches and irritability, were incurred in active service.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he asserts began in service due to noise exposure. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional VA treatment records and provide an addendum opinion from the appropriate examiner regarding the etiology of his current hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to her military service, with a point of equipoise in favor of service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are causally related to noise exposure during his military service.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his request for withdrawal of the appeal with regard to the claims for service connection for a left knee disability and a right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's initial claim for hearing loss was granted, but he is seeking higher ratings. The Board found that the evidence did not meet criteria for a compensable rating prior to March 30, 2010 and assigned a 10% rating effective from that date.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is sufficient evidence to support these claims. The Veteran was exposed to noise during his military service which may have contributed to his current conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and joint pain did not have its clinical onset in service or is otherwise related to service. The right knee disability was determined to be incurred during active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss was granted and assigned a 20 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability was rated at 10 percent for the period from July 12, 2005 through August 5, 2010. Effective August 6, 2010, his hearing loss disability warrants a 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's request for an extension of his delimiting date beyond September 1, 2006, for education benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill was denied as he did not have a physical or mental disability that prevented him from initiating and pursuing an educational program during the applicable period.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations, and additional evaluations are needed to determine if the Veteran's hearing loss, tinnitus, or left ankle disorder is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was previously denied, but the Board has now remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The issue is being reviewed again and a decision will be made based on this additional information.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, as evaluated in the right and left ears separately, does not meet or approximate the criteria for a disability rating higher than 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining National Guard treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is as likely as not incurred in service due to exposure to noise during his active duty, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's preexisting left-ear hearing loss was not aggravated during service and denied his claim for service connection. The right-ear hearing loss was also not attributable to service.