Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is considered a disability for VA compensation purposes and was exposed to loud noise in service. The Board finds that the Veteran experienced continuous symptoms of bilateral hearing loss since service separation, meeting the criteria for presumptive service connection under 38 C.F.R. § 3.303(b).

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining new VA examinations and medical records.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss alone is not shown to be of such severity to preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and the evidence does not show that he is unable to maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disability.

The Board found no evidence to support service connection for right or left ear hearing loss, concluding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has aggravated his tinnitus, and the Board grants service connection for tinnitus on a secondary basis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have tinnitus or bilateral hearing loss that was incurred in service, and therefore, denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is granted as the evidence shows current disability, in-service noise exposure, and continuity of symptoms since separation from service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and his employment throughout the relevant appeal period is considered substantial.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to noise exposure in service.,Service connection was denied for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than anxiety disorder NOS, to include PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active service.,Service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left knee, right flatfoot, and bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss did not have its onset during active service or within one year of discharge and is not otherwise related to active service. The right ear hearing loss disability has been manifested by a combination of auditory thresholds and speech recognition percentages which are productive of Level I hearing loss, but does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA medical examination and opinion to determine the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to engage in substantially gainful employment. The claim will be readjudicated after this development.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he requested to withdraw his appeal regarding the initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to February 15, 2015, and in excess of 30 percent thereafter.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus are not related to service, as there is no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and his in-service noise exposure. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for either condition.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of right lower extremity neuropathy has been granted.,Service connection is now established for bilateral upper extremity diabetic neuropathy and tinnitus secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are due to noise exposure during active service, and thus service connection is granted for both conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to in-service acoustic trauma, and service connection for this condition is granted. The lumbar spine disability issue remains pending as the Board has not addressed it yet.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus are service connected, but his left ear hearing loss disability is not.