Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's tinnitus is established as service-connected due to his bilateral hearing loss. The claims for initial compensable evaluation of bilateral hearing loss, service connection for left knee disability, and right knee disability are granted.

The Board found that service connection for tinnitus is granted, but denied service connection for right ear and left ear hearing loss as the evidence did not support a finding of in-service noise exposure or current disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to appear at a scheduled videoconference hearing. The case will be reviewed by the Board after scheduling another hearing.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The cases are being remanded for further development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran does not have a diagnosed bilateral hearing loss disability that is etiologically related to military service. The Board finds the June 2010 VA audiological examination and opinion to be of significant probative value in determining whether there is a relationship between the Veteran's current left ear sensorineural hearing loss disability and his military service.

The Veteran's claims of increased evaluations for hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as service connection for ischemic heart disease were granted with an effective date of May 30, 2008. The decision also found that the October 2008 denial of these claims contained clear and unmistakable error (CUE).

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board finds that a new examination is needed to determine the current severity of his hearing loss disability.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's preexisting hearing loss worsened during his active duty. Service connection was denied for tinnitus due to lack of credible evidence linking it to service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as the evidence is in equipoise, with a causal relationship to noise exposure during active duty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were incurred during his active military service, thus granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, including exposure to noise during basic training. As a result, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected thoracic scoliosis and lumbar lordosis, as well as any current bilateral knee and hearing loss disabilities. The TDIU claim is also part of this appeal.

The Veteran's appeal of the issue regarding a tumor in the ear has been dismissed. The case is being remanded for further action on his claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is at least as likely as not caused by his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss was not present during active service, did not manifest within one year of discharge from service, and did not develop as a result of any incident during service. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against his claim seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to address the accuracy of the audiometric testing and to obtain an updated opinion regarding the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and tinea pedis. The AOJ will arrange for a medical examination to determine if any current skin disorders are related to service, including those diagnosed during active duty. Additionally, an opinion from the examiner who provided the July 2011 VA audiology examination will be sought regarding whether hearing loss and/or tinnitus are of service onset or otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's hearing loss was evaluated and found to be manifested by average pure tone thresholds at 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, and 4,000 hertz of 44 decibels in the right ear and 68 decibels in the left ear. The Veteran's hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA regulations.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is manifested by exceptional patterns of hearing impairment, but no higher than Level VIII hearing acuity in the right ear and Level X hearing acuity in the left ear. The criteria for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for hearing loss have not been met.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a new examination to address the Veteran's exposure to acoustic trauma during service and his assertions of hearing loss beginning in service.