Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, left ear hearing loss disability, and a pulmonary disorder. The decision found that there was no current hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and needs further examination for a proper opinion on the nature of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal prior to the Board making a decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and allergies have been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes and therefore denied service connection for this condition. However, the Board granted service connection for tinnitus based on credible testimony indicating it began during service.

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

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and providing VA examinations to address the nature and etiology of his bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and service-connected bilateral tinea pedis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate VA examination for the Veteran's claims of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as the existing opinions do not adequately address the Veteran's contentions regarding these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service. The Board found that the current diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to military noise exposure, as there was no in-service diagnosis or report of symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his original claim was denied in 1977 and he did not timely appeal it. The most recent claim to reopen was filed on December 14, 2011.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is found to have had its onset during service due to combat-related noise exposure, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to ensure proper development of the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's migraine disorder, along with other service-connected conditions, has been rated at 50% since November 27, 2012. The Board also found that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities prior to this date and granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not related to his military service, as he had normal hearing upon separation and there was no evidence of a significant threshold shift during service. The most probative evidence against a finding of continuity of symptoms since service has been provided by VA examiners.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have a current disability of an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, or tinnitus as a result of service. The VA examiners concluded that these conditions are less likely than not caused by or related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant an initial compensable rating, as his puretone thresholds and speech recognition scores do not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under VA's auditory impairment rating schedule.