Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's bronchitis and bilateral hearing loss were denied service connection due to lack of evidence.,Service connection for low back disorder was also denied as there is no established link between the condition and service period.

The appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant's authorized representative before a decision could be made.

The Board has determined that additional assistance is needed to locate relevant private treatment records and will remand the case for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including myopia with hyperopia, a right thumb disorder, headaches, left ear hearing loss and shooting pains, memory loss, drowsiness, and bronchitis. The evidence did not meet the criteria for establishing service connection in any of these cases.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a videoconference hearing. The case will be returned to the Board after the hearing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for reopening his service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no new and material evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a vocational rehabilitation specialist opinion regarding his ability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are currently rated at 10 percent each, with no higher ratings warranted due to the application of the rating criteria. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating or separate schedular ratings for each ear.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his military service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with noise exposure being the primary factor.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted. The claim for right ear hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 24, 2010 for a 10% evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is denied as the earliest possible effective date has already been assigned.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bursitis of the left shoulder, cervical spine arthritis, tinnitus, post-traumatic stress disorder, and bilateral hearing loss, do not render him unemployable.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied, as the evidence did not meet the criteria for such benefits at the time of his death.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus between these conditions and active military service.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a chronic foot disability, bilateral hearing loss, back disability (including arthritis), deviated tracheobronchial tree, or chronic body pain condition during service. The Veteran's current diagnoses are not linked to his military service.

The Veteran's cervical strain and right shoulder strain have been granted initial ratings, but his bilateral hearing loss disability remains unresolved due to a lack of a statement of the case.

The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at the maximum allowable under VA regulations, and his neck disability has been assigned a noncompensable rating. His bilateral hearing loss claim was not addressed as it may be encompassed by other claims.

The Board found that the Veteran did not sustain a disease or injury of the bilateral ears in service, and symptoms of hearing loss were not chronic during active service. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied as they do not meet the criteria.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new and material evidence. However, these claims are being remanded for further development as the VA examination report is inadequate.