Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and right ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure. The appeal concerning an increased rating for right ankle degenerative joint disease was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his service, including in-service noise exposure. The preponderance of evidence is against finding a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to address the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for a lumbar spine disease with disc protrusion and herniated disc. The Veteran will be afforded VA examinations to evaluate his current severity of bilateral hearing loss and to determine the nature and etiology of any lumbar spine disorder.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities and hearing loss have been denied. The Veteran's upper and lower extremity conditions are rated as mild to moderate incomplete paralysis, while his bilateral hearing loss is not compensable.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to an inadequate medical opinion and incomplete consideration of the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to VA treatment in 1999 was denied, and his TDIU claim is also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for angioneurotic edema, bilateral hearing loss, a low back disability, right lower extremity sciatica, left lower extremity sciatica, and sinusitis. The reasons provided were that there was no evidence of these conditions in service or for many years thereafter, and they are not related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was incurred in service due to noise exposure during his military service, and the Board finds that he is entitled to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability was evaluated as 10 percent disabling based on the results of his VA audiological examinations. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and issuance of a supplemental statement of the case.

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

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss is being remanded due to the inability to schedule a VA examination while he was incarcerated. The Board requests that a VA audiology examination be scheduled to determine if his current left ear hearing loss is related to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability has been evaluated as zero percent (non-compensable) throughout the appeal period, with no evidence of any higher evaluation being warranted.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been assigned a 10 percent evaluation, which is the maximum rating authorized for these conditions under VA regulations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not causally or etiologically related to his military service, specifically his noise exposure therein. As such, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

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

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease is rated at 60 percent, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on his other service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen it. The examiner concluded that the current hearing loss disability is unrelated to service.