Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no current disability as defined by VA regulation. The Veteran was not diagnosed with a hearing loss disability in either ear, nor did he have any evidence of noise exposure during service or within one year after discharge.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to pursue and maintain gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, but denied the remaining issues on appeal. The Veteran's current left ear hearing loss is considered to be a result of noise exposure during his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, finding no new and material evidence to reopen his claim of vision problems. The Veteran's low back strain with lumbar disc degeneration/degenerative arthritis was not found to meet criteria for a higher rating prior to November 18, 2015, but did meet criteria thereafter. His bilateral hearing loss met the criteria for a 20% rating from September 25, 2015 to March 7, 2016, and was not found to warrant a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and providing an opinion on whether the Veteran's bilateral ear sores are related to his service-connected hearing loss.

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

The Veteran's PTSD was evaluated as 10 percent disabling prior to August 16, 2004 and as 30 percent disabling from August 16, 2004 to July 21, 2010. The Board denied entitlement to higher evaluations for PTSD.

The Veteran's hearing acuity has not been shown to be worse than Level II in the right ear or Level I in the left, warranting a 0 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are causally or etiologically due to noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's service connection for PTSD was granted with a rating of 30 percent, effective May 26, 2011. His bilateral hearing loss claim is denied as there is no evidence that it is related to his in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's diabetes was diagnosed during a period of ACDUTRA, while his hearing loss and tinnitus are not shown to be related to active duty or ACDUTRA.

The Veteran's TBI and bilateral visual disability claims are denied. His bilateral hearing loss and low back disabilities are granted, but his knee disabilities remain not established.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA audiological examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss, including the functional effects of his bilateral abnormal ipsilateral and contralateral acoustic reflexes on his ability to hear and understand speech.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran was not granted any new evaluations or service connections.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not related to his active service, including noise exposure during service. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not related to his active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes, and therefore cannot establish service connection. The preponderance of evidence is against the claim.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to non-compliance with previous directives. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered after the necessary information is obtained and reviewed.