Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, or tinnitus and therefore service connection is denied.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is found to be etiologically related to his active service and granted. The initial rating for PTSD remains at 50 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability has not met the criteria for a compensable rating prior to January 10, 2011 and does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent from that date.

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

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination of the Veteran's hearing loss, which was not completed as requested. The appeal is now pending again and will be reviewed after the necessary examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not service-connected as it did not manifest during or immediately after his military service and there was no evidence of aggravation in service. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's hearing loss is more likely due to post-service occupational noise exposure and presbycusis (age-related hearing loss).

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to have had its onset during service and the Board finds that it meets the criteria for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability increased in severity during service and is related to noise exposure. The left ear hearing loss disability, with a speech recognition score of 92, is also related to noise exposure. Tinnitus is found to be related to the right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is found to be related to his active service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his military service. The claim for an initial compensable rating for recurrent pruritis with hemorrhoids was remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's hearing loss has not been rated higher than non-compensable due to the results of his audiometric evaluations, which do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to a lack of VA treatment records. The case is now returned to the AOJ for further consideration.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination of his bilateral hearing loss and because the TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his left ear hearing loss disability. The issue will be reconsidered after obtaining these opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for a right leg disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The right leg disability is secondary to the Veteran's pre-existing left leg disability. Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected as they were present before service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted, with the hearing loss being granted based on presumptive service connection due to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining recent VA treatment records and scheduling an appropriate VA examination of his hearing loss disability. The issues of increased ratings for diabetes, hypertension, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are also being addressed.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected as they did not have their onset during his active military service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence that he submitted a claim to reopen his original denial prior to September 16, 2010.