Hearing loss decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service noise exposure, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's conditions had their onset during service. Service connection was also granted for an acquired psychiatric disability, but with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and cardiac disability are not related to his military service, including in-service noise exposure. As such, these claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for an addendum to the audiologist's examination report, as certain evidence of record raises questions about the validity of the hearing data recorded on his separation examination.

The VA denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence linking his current hearing disability to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right ear hearing loss disability and her residuals of a right tympanic membrane perforation are service connected. The claim for COPD is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its etiology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected bilateral hearing loss and for an effective date prior to September 15, 2009.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to determine if his current hearing acuity meets VA compensation criteria and whether it is related to in-service noise trauma.

The Veteran's current left ear hearing loss is determined to be related to noise exposure during his military service, and he is granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss are not related to service. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not related to his active service, and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board found that the January 1971 rating decision denying service connection for bilateral hearing loss was valid and did not contain clear and unmistakable error (CUE).

The Board has remanded the case to obtain a VA examination and opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to service or service-connected tinnitus, and if so, whether it is aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board found that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected, as there is no clear evidence of a pre-existing condition or aggravation during service. The VA examinations did not find any causal relationship between current hearing loss and tinnitus and service.

The Board has determined that there is no probative evidence linking the Veteran's right ear hearing loss to his military service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and dismissed the appeal regarding whether the April 2005 rating decision denying service connection for bilateral hearing loss should be revised or reversed on grounds of CUE.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing at the Winston-Salem RO. The issues of service connection and disability ratings remain on hold until further action.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new evidence supports reopening of these claims. The Veteran is now entitled to VA benefits for his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new examinations and a review of his claims file.