Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is granted. The Board finds that the weight of the competent evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran has a current bilateral hearing loss disability related to his military service, including exposure to noise during combat.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and hypertension. The claim of service connection for peripheral neuropathy, which is presumed to be related to herbicide exposure, remains pending as a separate issue.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no current disability recognized by VA standards, despite his allegations of in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in service, as there is no evidence of these conditions during his active duty. The Board finds that the current diagnoses are not related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but additional evidence is needed to determine if there are any connections between his current disabilities and his military service. The Veteran needs to provide more information about specific incidents in service that may be relevant.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, specifically right ear hearing loss, right heel disability, and skin disorder of the head. The claims are therefore denied.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess his current hearing acuity and its relation to service.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed and the case is being remanded for further development, including obtaining service records from the U.S. Army Reserves and scheduling a VA examination to assess the Veteran's skin disorder.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss has been denied as the disability is currently rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including adjudication of the referred claim of entitlement to an increased evaluation for service-connected hearing loss. The TDIU claim will be readjudicated with consideration of both a schedular basis and extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional treatment records and a VA examination. The claim will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for increased ratings and TDIU prior to August 12, 2011. The hearing on appeal was held in April 2014.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to military noise exposure.

The Board has ordered a new VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, which is currently considered service-connected. The examination must address the Institute of Medicine's report on noise-induced hearing loss and whether there are studies indicating delayed onset.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is granted as incurred in service, and the issue of TDIU is remanded for readjudication.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there was no evidence of a nexus between his in-service noise exposure and his post-service symptoms. The claims for service connection were therefore denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn before the Board could issue a decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus did not manifest within one year of service, and there is no evidence to support a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service. The Veteran's assertions regarding in-service noise exposure are not supported by contemporaneous medical records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss was denied as he did not meet the criteria for a disability recognized under VA regulations.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for fatigue was also denied, with the examiner indicating that his reported history of fatigue is more consistent with a sleep disorder than chronic fatigue syndrome.