Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded as the VA examiner did not address whether there is a medically sound basis upon which to attribute the post-service findings to the injury in service, as opposed to intercurrent causes.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his heart disease and lupus, are considered to have played a role in contributing to the cause of death from acute myelocytic leukemia (AML).

The Veteran's claim of service connection for left-ear hearing loss was denied in October 1958, but his claim of service connection for tinnitus was granted. The effective date for the award of service connection for tinnitus is set at February 12, 1958.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for left-ear hearing loss was not granted and an earlier effective date is not warranted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional VA and private audiometry records, arranging for an updated medical opinion from the January 2012 VA examiner (or another if unavailable), and considering Savage v. Shinseki when readjudicating his increased rating claim.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other factors that would support a grant of service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and low back disability due to incomplete VA treatment records, lack of examination opinions addressing all relevant evidence, and need for further development.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is etiologically related to noise exposure during his active military service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA audiologist to provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's preexisting bilateral hearing loss was aggravated by his military service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and an otolaryngology evaluation.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not have their clinical onset in service or are otherwise related to active duty. As a result, service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal of his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is withdrawn.,The Veteran's tinnitus was not related to his service, and it is not secondary to his service-connected bipolar disorder.

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

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and bilateral knee condition, as well as to address the discrepancy in audiometric test results during service. The Veteran's claims for service connection will be readjudicated following any additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are as likely as not related to his active military service, including exposure to noise during service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was found to be noncompensable prior to October 11, 2012 and rated at 10% beginning from that date. The appeal is denied as the criteria for a higher rating have not been met.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability and left ear hearing loss are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling a video hearing due to the Veteran's recent move.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not show that his disability warranted a compensable rating.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to the Board's decision, thus dismissing the case.