Hearing loss decisions — 2011

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss did not have onset during service or within one year of separation from service and is not otherwise related to service. The claim for hypertension was not addressed due to a remand.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated at 40 percent, effective August 2005. The Board found that the evidence supported a higher rating and granted an increased evaluation.

The Board determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there was no evidence of such conditions during service or within one year after separation. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the Veteran's failure to report for a VA examination and his lack of communication with the RO/AMC.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for hearing loss of the right ear, finding that some of the evidence received since the November 1997 rating decision is both new and material.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his service, as it was first noted many years after separation from active duty. The VA examiner opined that the post-service noise exposure more likely caused the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Board finds that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is causally and etiologically related to service, but his right ear hearing loss does not meet VA criteria for a disability. Therefore, service connection is granted for left ear hearing loss.

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

The VA determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability, at worst, results in Level II hearing loss in both ears. The claim for an initial compensable evaluation is denied as there are no criteria met to warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the appellant's left ear hearing loss is not related to his active service and denied the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of shrapnel wounds to the right arm and right leg, hearing loss, and tinnitus as these conditions are considered direct service connections due to in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's testimony regarding continuity of symptoms since service is given significant weight.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is not related to his active service and denied both issues of appeal.

The Board found that the Veteran's lung disability did not have its onset during active service or result from disease or injury in service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a lung disability was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to active service, while diabetes mellitus and hypertension were not initially manifested within one year of his release from active duty.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that none of his service-connected conditions caused or contributed substantially or materially to causing his death.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosed bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes and thus denied service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is likely due to noise exposure during his active service, and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss has not been found to be more severe than the criteria associated with a noncompensable evaluation.