Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and renal cell carcinoma, finding no evidence of in-service injury or exposure that could be linked to the current disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The VA must provide an addendum from a VA examiner addressing whether these conditions are related to active duty training or noise exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to unclear opinions regarding aggravation of pre-existing conditions during active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and bilateral hearing loss meet the percentage requirements for a TDIU prior to February 19, 2016. The Board finds that his combined disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss or chronic fatigue syndrome, and thus service connection for these conditions is denied.,For the joint condition (claimed as Gulf War Illness) and muscle condition (claimed as due to Gulf War Illness), an addendum opinion is needed regarding whether they are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted. The claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, seizure disability (episodes), and PTSD are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and lung condition are remanded for further examination to determine their etiology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability pre-existed his active service and was not aggravated by it. The presumption of soundness at entry is rebutted.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for psoriasis and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of an opinion on the relationship between these conditions and service, as well as the need for updated VA treatment records and examinations.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for skin condition was dismissed. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left knee condition, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new and material evidence. The claim for tinnitus is granted as it is related to service. However, the decision on service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains pending as further examination is needed.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new evidence received since the July 2011 rating decision. The claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted, but the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains pending as it was remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate examination findings. The Veteran's exposure during service is conceded, but further evaluation is needed.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to in-service noise exposure. Service connection was also denied for presbyopia and hyperopia, as refractive error does not constitute a disease or injury for VA compensation purposes.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his active military service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is rated as noncompensable since March 23, 2015.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a VA audiological examination to determine if the Veteran currently has hearing loss and whether it is related to service, including noise exposure from weapons training.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that his current audiometric results do not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand two issues related to hearing loss: service connection for the right ear and an initial compensable rating for the left ear. The Veteran's claims will be reviewed again due to incomplete records and need further examination.