Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining missing medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus are being evaluated to determine if they make him unemployable.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is manifested by hearing impairment corresponding to no higher than an auditory acuity of Level II in the right ear and Level IV in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable rating. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against assignment of an initial compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination. The Veteran's claim will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral knee and hearing loss conditions do not meet the criteria for service connection, as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to these conditions. The Veteran's hearing loss was rated noncompensable throughout the appeal period.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not result from disease or injury incurred in service, and thus denied service connection for these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities did not manifest during service or to a compensable degree within one year of separation, and thus denied service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss manifests Level I hearing acuity in the right ear and Level V hearing acuity in the left ear. The Board finds that the evidence does not support the assignment of a compensable evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss at any time during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities have been granted, with effective dates set at February 17, 2009.,Effective from February 17, 2009, the Veteran is now entitled to VA benefits for her claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The claim for an earlier effective date for IHD was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active military service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of hearing loss to an extent recognized as a disability for VA purposes during or after his military service.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar and cervical spines, arthralgia of the right knee, peripheral artery disease, and hypertension have all been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is etiologically related to his in-service noise exposure, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected, and he is entitled to a rating in excess of 20 percent for his lumbar spine disability from May 12, 2012.

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

The Board denied entitlement to service connection for a heart condition and hypertension. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was found to have manifested as no worse than Level II in the right ear and Level I in the left ear, warranting a noncompensable rating.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and GERD have been denied. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is pending as the issue has not yet been adjudicated. The Veteran was granted a noncompensable disability rating for GERD prior to May 23, 2008, but no higher.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and ischemic heart disease (IHD), but denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The medical evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his service, including noise exposure. The Board affirms the denial of service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, specifically the noise exposure he experienced as a machine gunner in Vietnam. The Board finds that these conditions are directly related to his active duty.