Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability in his left ear, and therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. For his right ear, while he was exposed to noise during service, there is no evidence of a current hearing loss disability within one year post-service separation, making it presumptively non-service connected. The Board finds the VA examiner's opinion regarding the nexus between in-service noise exposure and current hearing loss to be highly probative.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is etiologically related to an in-service injury, event, or disease and has been granted service connection.

The Board denied reopening of the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and a left knee disability due to lack of new and material evidence. The heart disability claim was not reopened as there was no new and material evidence received. The anemia claim was also not reopened.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted from April 17, 2006 due to service-connected PTSD and other disabilities meeting the schedular requirements for a TDIU. The effective date of December 31, 2009 is incorrect as evidence shows unemployability prior to that date.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is linked to noise exposure during active service, while left ear hearing loss is not established. The Veteran's PTSD causes occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hearing loss, emphysema, and service connection for a blood disorder, COPD, and arthritis have all been denied. The Board is remanding the case to obtain additional medical opinions regarding these issues.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain VA treatment records and to provide the Veteran with VA examinations to determine the etiology of her hearing loss, tinnitus, and left hip/thigh disorder. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current tumor in the inner ear was not incurred during his active military service and is not related to his service. The Veteran's hypothyroidism and left ear hearing loss are also denied as there is no evidence of their onset within one year post-service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus had its onset in or is otherwise related to his active service and granted service connection for this condition. The issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability was remanded due to inadequate evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine and chondromalacia of the right knee, but denied service connection for prostatitis, sciatica, and right ear hearing loss. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated as noncompensable.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not meet the criteria for service connection as they are not causally or etiologically related to service, including due to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has found that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his service and granted service connection for this condition. The hearing loss claim remains pending as it requires additional development.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical records and provide the Veteran with new VA examinations for his erectile dysfunction claim and bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is caused by his active military service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is at least as likely as not related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities are being remanded for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability in either ear as defined by VA standards. Therefore, service connection for right and left ear hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for more contemporaneous VA examinations and the potential existence of outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, including exposure to loud gunfire and a land mine explosion in Vietnam. As such, the claims for service connection have been granted.