Hearing loss decisions — 2014

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left testicle condition, and bilateral knee condition. The Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss. His current left testicle condition was not present during service or until many years thereafter and is not related to service. The Board also found no evidence of an in-service injury or condition that could be linked to his current right knee condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of October 5, 2006 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus. The RO assigned a 10 percent disability evaluation for tinnitus effective October 5, 2007.

The appeal is being remanded to provide additional examinations and determine the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and a right knee disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss did not have its onset during service or within one year of separation, and is not caused by his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining a new medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is considered a disability incurred in service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted, as the evidence is in equipoise that his hearing loss was caused by noise exposure during service.

The Board determined that the Veteran's prostate disability did not clearly and unmistakably preexist service, was not shown to have its onset in service, and is not shown by the competent and probative evidence to be the result of disease or injury incurred during his military service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a prostate disability has been denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran did not have a current disability related to his in-service noise exposure.

The VA determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability as defined by VA standards, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA audiology examination to determine if the Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus are related to his service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for a right ear hearing loss disability and service connection for a left ear hearing loss disability, finding that his current ratings did not meet the criteria for compensation under VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate explanation of changes in audiograms and their significance on the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disorder, tinnitus, hemorrhoids, lumbar spine disorder, psychiatric disorder, and ganglion cyst of the right wrist were not incurred in or aggravated by service.,Service connection was denied for all claimed conditions.

The Board has decided that a VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, including exposure to artillery fire. The case is being remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's service connection claims for Bell's palsy, obstructive sleep apnea, and bilateral hearing loss have been granted. The decision also notes that the Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding Bell's palsy prior to the issuance of a final decision.

The Veteran's tinnitus and hearing loss are found to be related to service, with the Board granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting a VA examination to determine the relationship between his current hearing loss, tinnitus, prostate disorder, skin disorder, and diabetes mellitus and service.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a right distal fibula fracture and found that the Veteran's current right leg disorder is related to his military service. The claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service. The Board found that the disabilities did not manifest within one year of separation from active duty, and there is no evidence of a continuity of symptomatology since service.