Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated records and arranging for a VA examination to clarify the nature and likely cause of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability in either ear as defined by VA standards, and thus denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current disabilities for tuberculosis, bilateral hearing loss, or a heart condition. The appeal is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his claim for service connection for lumbar spondylosis. The Board found that there was no evidence to support higher disability ratings or service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability has been evaluated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a compensable evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, which is secondary to his service-connected tinnitus, has been remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of the separate theory raised by his representative.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss is etiologically related to his active military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a new VA examination to evaluate the effect of all service-connected disabilities on the Veteran's ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's bilateral hallux valgus has been rated at 10 percent since August 1993. His hearing loss disability, evaluated as Level I in both ears, does not warrant a compensable rating.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability, rated at 50 percent since December 6, 2004, has been found to be so severe as to preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and occupational experience prior to November 1, 2006.

The Board found no evidence of a current bilateral hearing loss disability related to service, and denied the claim.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active military service, as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his service. The VA examiners concluded that it was less likely than not that the Veteran's hearing loss or tinnitus were caused by noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was found to be incurred during service and is granted. The psychiatric disorder claim is remanded for further development.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for all issues listed on the title page.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was denied.,The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to July 31, 2009 for service connection and increased ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities were also denied.,His claim for a higher rating for his compression fracture L1 with chronic low back pain was denied.

The Veteran's appeal of the denial of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. The Board finds that the Veteran has satisfied the requirements for presumptive service connection for hypertension, and service connection for hypertension is granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his period of active duty service. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis for hearing loss, lung condition (asbestos exposure), and heart condition (herbicide exposure). However, additional development is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss and obstructive sleep apnea are service-connected. The decision also indicates that a claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling a hearing to determine the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss.