Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is found to be related to his military service, and the claim for service connection is granted. The left ear hearing loss claim remains pending as there are no current VA-recognized criteria met.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and medical opinions regarding his hearing loss and tinnitus. The AOJ will also obtain any outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current right ear hearing loss or tinnitus for VA purposes and therefore service connection is denied. The Veteran's statements regarding the onset and continuity of his tinnitus are deemed not credible.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, peptic ulcer and PTSD have been granted. The effective date of the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease is October 6, 2010.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is rated at 10 percent, and his PTSD is rated at the minimum of 30 percent. Both evaluations are denied as they do not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to the need for new and material evidence to reopen a claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as well as an audiological evaluation and ophthalmological opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cataracts.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's original claim was denied in 1994, and no additional evidence has been provided within one year of that decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is service-connected, as it resulted from noise exposure during his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus claims.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability, resulting in a denial.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The issues of entitlement to a compensable disability rating for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have not been decided.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and is remanding the issue of service connection for a low back disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to unclear dates of periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA) that may qualify him for basic eligibility for Veterans benefits. The VA will need to determine if any such periods exist and whether his current hearing loss and left knee disability are related to these periods.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for right ear hearing loss and granted it, finding that the Veteran's current right ear hearing loss is at least as likely as not caused by or a result of his military service.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed, specifically obtaining the Veteran's Reserve medical records. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to arrange for a new hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death, and the claim for reopening service connection for bilateral hearing loss is moot.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new audiological evaluation to determine the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss, as the previous examination was deemed invalid due to lack of cooperation.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss had onset in service or was caused by his active military service, and the Board grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred during treatment at the Southeast Georgia Health System Camden Campus on July 21, 2011 is denied because the condition was not a medical emergency and a VA facility was feasibly available.