Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate medical opinion regarding his hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's in-service noise exposure likely caused his current condition. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant an initial compensable disability rating, as his hearing impairment is currently rated at 0 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss no longer warrants a rating in excess of 70 percent prior to April 1, 2010. Effective April 1, 2010, his disability is rated at 60 percent.

The VA denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right ear hearing loss disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because he does not have a ratable disability. However, his tinnitus was incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the evidence does not adequately address the relationship between the Veteran's in-service acoustic trauma and his current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The appeal is REMANDED to obtain an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is related to his military service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board finds that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are due to noise exposure during his military service.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as his hearing levels have consistently remained at Level I throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has not been shown to warrant a compensable rating under VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development and a need for an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently manifested by no worse than Level I hearing in both ears, and does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's tables for rating hearing loss disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The initial evaluation for diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction was granted, but the claim for hypertension was not addressed as it arose after a grant of service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is characterized by no worse than level II hearing loss in both ears, and he was granted service connection but assigned a noncompensable disability rating. The initial rating appeal for this condition has been denied.

The Board found no evidence of a hearing loss disability for VA purposes in the right ear and concluded that the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's ankylosing spondylitis and bilateral hearing loss are not service-connected. The tinnitus claim is pending as it may be related to service.

The Board has determined that there is no current left ear hearing loss disability under the VA criteria for such a condition. The Veteran's complaints of hearing impairment are not supported by audiological testing results meeting the standards set forth in 38 C.F.R. § 3.385.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes and denied his claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The right wrist fracture issue is still pending.