Hearing loss decisions — 2012

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to discrepancies in audiometric test results and outstanding service treatment records. The case is now pending again with instructions to obtain the Veteran's service treatment records from her second period of service (October 2001 to May 2002) and provide her VA claims file to a VA audiologist for review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active duty service, granting entitlement to service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of bilateral hearing loss or arthritis during active service, and the appellant's current conditions are not related to his military service. Therefore, the claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease, and the current conditions are not shown to be related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's preexisting left ear hearing loss was aggravated by service exposure to noise, and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board found no evidence of a hearing loss disability in the left ear during service and concluded that any current hearing loss is not related to military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are found to be related to his service, including exposure to noise during active duty. The Board grants the claims for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to procedural issues and will be handled by a Veterans Law Judge at the RO for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his in-service acoustic trauma and finds service connection for this condition. For hearing loss, the Board notes inconsistencies in the evidence regarding whether the Veteran meets the criteria for impaired hearing under VA regulations.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there was no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military noise exposure. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran does not have hearing loss, an eye disability, or residuals of prostate cancer as a result of his service. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a nervous disorder or diabetes mellitus, type II. The claims for service connection for chronic low back strain, right eye disorder, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and tinnitus are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records, arrange for examinations, and consider the claims.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and left knee disorder were denied as there is no evidence of in-service disease or injury that caused these conditions. The Board found that the current diagnoses are not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development due to the need for clarification of his noise exposure history and an audiometric evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are directly related to his military service, including exposure to hazardous noise during active duty. The claim is therefore granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing at the earliest available opportunity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are not properly adjudicated due to procedural issues, and thus remands the case back to the RO for further action.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, right ear hearing loss, and a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss. The decision found that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure leading to current right ear hearing loss, and thus denied service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a current VA audiological examination.