Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a video conference hearing at the Montgomery, Alabama RO.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability is found to be service-connected, with the evidence showing that it likely resulted from in-service noise exposure. The issues of left ear hearing loss and TDIU are not addressed as they were not part of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to obtain medical records and verify service dates. The Veteran's claims of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being reviewed, but a decision on whether they were incurred in or aggravated by service is pending.

The Board finds that the Veteran has current diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which are related to service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral metatarsalgia of the feet and hearing loss were not addressed. The Board denied reopening his claims for right and left knee disabilities, as well as his claims for service connection for right and left shin splints.

The Board has determined that the development of the hearing loss claim is inadequate and requires additional examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The case is being remanded for further action.

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

The Veteran's chronic low back strain was found to be aggravated by his military service. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were reopened due to the submission of new evidence.

The Veteran's major depression with psychotic features, type II diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are presumed to be related to his service in the Republic of Vietnam. The left knee disability is not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as zero percent (noncompensable) since April 2003. The most recent VA audiometric evaluations in February 2011 and March 2013 showed auditory acuity levels of level I for both ears, which correspond to a zero percent rating under the applicable VA Rating Schedule.

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

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not attributable to his period of military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a chronic disease in service or continuous symptoms after service separation. The Veteran experienced noise exposure during service but his current hearing loss does not meet VA criteria for a disability. Tinnitus was found to be related to service.

The Veteran does not have a right ear hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes and therefore, service connection is denied.

The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for right ear hearing loss. The claims for left ear hearing loss and residuals of perforated eardrums were denied as there was insufficient evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has found that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss had its onset during service. The claim for a seizure disorder was previously denied, but new and material evidence has been received since the June 1983 rating decision. No disability rating adjustment or TDIU determination can be made at this time.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, low back disability, neck disability, bunion right foot, and bunion left foot were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss remains at zero percent (noncompensable) since the effective date of service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service acoustic trauma, but there is an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding whether these conditions were caused by service. The decision grants service connection for both conditions.