Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence of a nexus between the conditions and his military service. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD was also denied, but this issue is inextricably intertwined with the TDIU claim which must be reconsidered first.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened and is now considered. The Board finds new and material evidence to support the reopening of this claim.,Service connection for tinnitus has also been granted, as the Veteran has provided credible testimony regarding a continuous presence of symptoms since service.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for a left ankle disability. The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, bilateral hearing loss disabilities, tinnitus, and pleomorphic sarcoma, right upper extremity have all been denied as there is no evidence of an in-service event or injury that would support these claims.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a low back disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability of hearing loss in the left ear that meets VA criteria.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for back disability is dismissed as moot due to prior service connection already granted in August 1978.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the claims for service connection and rating for obstructive sleep apnea, traumatic brain injury, migraine headaches, left ear hearing loss, and right ear hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea and bilateral hearing loss. The decision on sleep apnea was final, as it had been previously denied in 2004 with no new material evidence submitted to reopen the claim. For bilateral hearing loss, the Board found that the condition is attributable to his active military service.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss, submandibular gland carcinoma, and cerebrovascular accident. The case is REMANDED to obtain updated VA treatment records, SSA records, and a VA examination to address the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA audiology examination to determine the severity of his service-connected hearing loss disability. Additionally, a medical opinion on the etiology between the Veteran's small bowel carcinoid and service-connected duodenal ulcer will be obtained.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, clarifying the audiologist's qualifications, conducting a new audiological examination, and securing updated audiogram results.

The Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected, and his prostate cancer residuals are rated at the maximum allowable under VA rating criteria. The reduction in rating for prostate cancer was proper.

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for higher disability ratings for his bilateral hearing loss and service connection for nuclear sclerosis were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of more severe hearing loss than assessed by VA examiners, and there was no positive nexus opinion linking the Veteran's nuclear sclerosis to service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an initial compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board issuing a decision.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and traumatic brain injury.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not due to noise exposure during military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss during service and concluded that the Veteran's current hearing loss disability is not related to his active military service.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination and opinion are needed due to inaccuracies in the previous VA opinion, as well as the need for records from a private audiologist.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability and found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss warrants no compensable rating. The decision is based on the evidence showing current disabilities consistent with in-service injuries, but without clear medical nexus to those events.