Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, including noise exposure during active duty.

The Veteran's claims for reopening of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and finds that it is related to his in-service exposure to small arms fire. As a result, the Veteran is now granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a rescheduled hearing. The issues of service connection for various conditions remain under review.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of records.

The Board affirms that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected, as it developed due to in-service acoustic trauma. The evidence is at least in equipoise on this issue.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examination and consideration of outstanding treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable prior to June 3, 2011 and 10 percent on and after that date. The Board finds the current ratings are appropriate.

The Board found no evidence of in-service hearing loss or tinnitus, and the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his service. The Veteran's hearing loss is attributed to post-service occupational noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional VA treatment records and for the Veteran to submit any additional evidence or identify any outstanding private treatment records.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing an addendum opinion from the VA examiner regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a new VA examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his in-service noise exposure, resolving all reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his in-service exposure to loud noise, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are not related to his military service, as evidenced by normal hearing at entrance and no complaints or treatment for these conditions during active duty. The VA examiner concluded that it was less likely than not that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were caused by noise exposure in Vietnam.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for gastrointestinal disability, bilateral hearing loss, sinus disability, and eye disability. The evidence did not show aggravation of a pre-existing gastrointestinal condition during active duty or establish that any current disabilities were incurred in service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not related to his military service, as there was no evidence of a pre-existing hearing loss within one year after separation from service and the audiometric results did not show significant shift in hearing acuity during his period of service. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an initial noncompensable rating for painful exostosis of the left anterior chest, residual fracture of the left 9th rib. The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating remains on appeal.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to have originated during his military service and the Board grants service connection for this condition.