Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The decision found no evidence of a direct relationship between these conditions and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected as they are related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone do not render him incapable of securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability is manifested by pure tone thresholds in four frequencies from 1000 to 4000 Hertz, averaging no more than 36 decibels in the right ear and no more than 41 decibels in the left ear. This corresponds to Level I hearing in both ears, warranting a noncompensable (zero percent) evaluation under VA's rating schedule.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's TDIU claim due to additional development required, including translation of SSA records and referral to the Director of Compensation Service for an extraschedular evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss in the right ear. The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for hearing loss in the left ear is remanded for further development.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, which he contends are the result of acoustic trauma during service. The VA examiner concluded that the claimed hearing loss and tinnitus were not related to service due to a lack of typical 'noise notch' pattern in audiograms from service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is manifested by level IV hearing acuity in both ears, and his coronary artery disease does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation. The RO has granted initial evaluations for these conditions.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of all appeals prior to a decision being made.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a disability under VA regulations. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a current hearing disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left lower extremity mononeuropathy, left upper extremity superficial radial sensory neuropathy, tinnitus, hearing loss, a facial scar, and eczema, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his work and educational background since March 29, 2005. The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for TDIU effective from that date.

The VA determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, nor may they be presumed to have been so incurred.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is likely the result of his active service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU, and there is no evidence showing he is unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment as a result of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The issues include service connection for squamous cell carcinoma, right ear hearing loss, and loss of the right ear.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss, tinnitus, a chronic sinus disorder, or COPD during service. The Veteran's current conditions are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are at least as likely as not related to his military service. The remaining claims of service connection for respiratory and psychiatric conditions have been remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration (SSA) records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed hypertension.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support service connection for schizophrenia, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus type II, or osteoarthritis of the left knee. The Veteran's claims are denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to a request for a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.