Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The left ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, heart disability (including congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation), diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities were all remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure. Service connection for a back disorder is denied.

The Veteran's request for an effective date prior to May 1, 2012, for adding his child A.C.M. as a dependent was denied because the evidence of A.C.M.'s Social Security number was not received within one year of notification of the July 2006 rating decision.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable (0%) throughout the appeal period, as the VA audiometric examination results do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's failure to appear for VA audiological examinations. The claim will be reconsidered with a new examination.

The Veteran's initial compensable disability rating for a bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations and additional VA treatment records.

The Veteran's appeals for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is determined to be service-connected, with the Board resolving reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of in-service evidence of a hearing disability, but acknowledges that there is credible evidence of acoustic trauma due to significant noise exposure during service. The Veteran will be afforded a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of various conditions, including memory loss, bilateral hearing loss, sinus disability, skin disability, and increased ratings for chronic lower back pain with degenerative changes of the lumbar spine, and chronic nonallergic rhinitis. The Board also remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected as they did not manifest in service or within one year post-service, and there is no evidence of noise exposure during service. However, the Veteran has been granted secondary service connection for cirrhosis of the liver.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was denied due to lack of manifestation in service and failure to meet the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for his increased evaluation of bilateral hearing loss disability, finding that no evidence showed a worsening in the condition prior to October 24, 2014.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a T12 compression fracture, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to lack of evidence or further development is needed.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for ischemic heart disease and hypertension. The AOJ must obtain any outstanding private treatment records and schedule appropriate VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo. The conditions are found to be at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's in-service noise exposure during his time as a combat medic in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, pain disorder, and erectile dysfunction have been denied.,The Board found that the evidence did not establish a current disability for some of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is due to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 0 percent since November 2014. The most recent audiometric evaluations show no improvement in the condition, and thus a compensable rating is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus due to potential issues with the reliability of audiometric testing results from a previous VA examination. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether the current disabilities are related to in-service noise exposure.