Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of the evidence.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been found to be related to service, but his DJD of the thoracolumbar spine, neck disability, and bilateral foot disability have not. The claims for these conditions are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and found that the Veteran's hearing loss disability is related to his active military service, including in-service acoustic trauma. The issue of bilateral hearing loss remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder NOS or anxiety disorder NOS, was not incurred as a result of service. The RO denied service connection for flat feet, right knee, and left knee disabilities in 2007, but new and material evidence has been received to reopen these claims. The Veteran's tinnitus is already assigned the highest schedular rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records and a new audiological examination to determine the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, including exposure to acoustic trauma. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is manifested by hearing acuity no worse than Level IV in the right ear and no worse than Level II in the left ear, which does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA regulations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining employment history information and VA/SSA records. The case will be readjudicated after the development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is manifested by average pure tone thresholds and speech discrimination scores which equate to no worse than Roman Numeral II on Table VI. The criteria for a compensable rating have not been met.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the reduction of his disability rating for bilateral hearing loss from 10 percent to noncompensable, effective December 1, 2010.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's effective date for service connection of coronary artery disease is denied as it does not meet the criteria under VA regulations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss. The case will be readjudicated after this.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination, as the current opinion is based solely on normal hearing at discharge without considering the Veteran's statements about the onset of his symptoms.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, conducting a VA examination to assess his bilateral hearing loss disability, and providing an opinion on the impact of service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently evaluated at 10 percent, and the evidence does not support a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise on all material elements of both claims, and thus service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for treatment at Faith Regional Health Services and NE Nebraska Cardiology Consultants were not authorized by VA, and the criteria for reimbursement under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1725 were not met.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, heart condition (coronary atherosclerosis status post angioplasty), colon cancer, and diabetes mellitus, type II. The evidence received since the November 2001 denial is considered new and material.,VA will obtain treatment records from the VA dated after November 2010 and associate them with the claims file.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back condition and left wrist disability are service connected, but denied his claims for hearing loss in the right ear and lump on head.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and chloracne, to include as secondary to herbicide exposure, are denied. The Board finds no evidence of current disabilities or in-service events that would support these claims.