Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support a finding of bilateral hearing loss disability or any skin disorder of the left foot due to service. The Veteran's claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, and right eye disability. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a videoconference hearing at the RO. The issues of entitlement to service connection for hearing loss and status post right thumb and right index finger injury are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current tinnitus is related to his active service, and thus granted service connection for tinnitus. The decision on bilateral hearing loss remains pending as it was addressed in a separate remand.

The Board found no evidence of in-service hearing loss or tinnitus, and the Veteran's current conditions are not presumed due to exposure to noise. The claim for service connection was denied as there is no direct evidence linking his current conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss through December 16, 2011, is granted as his auditory acuity levels correspond to an auditory acuity level of III in both ears.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his active service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to obtain VA and private treatment records, as well as a VA examination. The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus will be remanded.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that either condition is related to his service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are due to noise exposure during service, with conflicting medical opinions resulting in a finding of equipoise. As such, service connection is granted for both conditions.

The Veteran does not have a ratable bilateral hearing loss disability due to disease or injury incurred in service. The Board denied the claim for service connection for right foot disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a Travel Board hearing at the Waco RO due to his request for rescheduling after he was hospitalized with injuries from a motor vehicle accident.

The Board denied an extraschedular rating for hearing loss and found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from obtaining substantially gainful employment, thus denying a TDIU.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current right ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes, and thus denied his claim of service connection.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal for the issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and entitlement to an increased evaluation for service-connected PTSD, evaluated 30 percent disabling prior to March 30, 2012, and 50 percent thereafter.

The Board found no causal connection between the Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and in-service noise exposure, leading to a denial of service connection.

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

The Board found no evidence of left ear hearing loss or bilateral knee disorders for VA purposes during service. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than March 1, 2009 for payment of additional compensation for his current spouse. The decision was based on the fact that notice of his marriage to his current spouse was not received at the RO within one year of their marriage or prior to February 10, 2009.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable since the grant of service connection in September 2009. The VA examination conducted in July 2009 showed no more than Level I hearing acuity in the right ear and Level V in the left ear, with an average pure tone threshold of 50 dB in the right ear and 60 dB in the left ear. These findings do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's rating schedule.