Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's service connection claims for left carpal tunnel syndrome and a skin disorder of the left side of the face and scalp are granted as they are presumed due to herbicide exposure.,Service connection is granted for a disability of the right thumb and wrist, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, amblyopia, and deformed toes. The spleen rupture claim secondary to a service-connected skin lesion of the foot is also granted.,The effective date for the increased rating of 10 percent for the service-connected skin lesion of the plantar aspect of the left foot is set at January 12, 2007.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and reopening of a previously denied claim were all denied as the current evaluations are deemed adequate.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a low back disorder due to conflicting evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran's hearing loss is not shown to be related to military noise exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right ear hearing loss and a left hand disability. The evidence did not meet the criteria to establish current disabilities for VA purposes.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss did not have onset during his active service, was not caused by his active service and did not manifest within one year of separation from active service. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as he withdrew his claim for service connection for benign prostatic hypertrophy. The remaining issues of entitlement to higher initial ratings for left ear hearing loss, PTSD with secondary depressive disorder and alcohol dependence, and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is rated as noncompensable under the VA rating schedule, and no higher ratings are warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred from October 6 to October 9, 2009 at St. Edward Mercy Medical Center were for emergency treatment due to a significant injury and could not be safely transferred to a VA facility until his condition stabilized on October 9, 2009.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus. The examiner should consider the April 1978, February 1980, and October 1983 service audiological tests and discuss whether noise exposure in service caused or contributed to current hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for anxiety disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA audiology evaluation to assess the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran must be given an opportunity to report for this examination or provide notice that he did not receive it.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a videoconference hearing before a member of the Board.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from the June 2011 VA audiologist regarding whether the November 2009 private examiner used the Maryland CNC or compatible test at the time of the examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of his acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with noise exposure being a significant factor. Service connection is granted for both conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including retrieval of VA outpatient records and consideration of the March 2013 VA examination report.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and the submission of any relevant medical records. The issues on appeal are whether he should receive a higher rating for his left inguinal hernia surgery scar, an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, and service connection for a right knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss was manifested by no worse than Level III hearing acuity in each ear since December 18, 2013. The Board found that the current ratings adequately reflect his disability picture and did not find any evidence of marked interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his hearing impairment did not meet the criteria for any higher rating based on VA examination findings.