Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the VLJ who conducted his Travel Board hearing no longer working at the Board. He will be given a new opportunity to provide testimony before the Board.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not related to his active duty service, leading to a denial of both claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not related to his active service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his medical records, including those from the Loma Linda VA Medical Center and any other relevant VA facilities. The case will be adjudicated again after this information has been obtained.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been denied as there is no schedular basis to grant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable since March 3, 2008. The Board finds that a referral for an extraschedular evaluation is warranted due to the impact of his hearing loss on employment.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not present during service or for decades thereafter, and the most persuasive evidence fails to establish his current hearing loss as medically attributable to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure, meeting the criteria for service connection.

Throughout the rating period on appeal, no worse than Level II hearing acuity in the right ear and Level I hearing acuity in the left ear has been demonstrated for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's hypertension is not caused by service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated as noncompensably disabling prior to July 21, 2011. Since then, he has been awarded a 10 percent rating effective from July 21, 2011.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, a right eye disability, rheumatic fever residuals, PTSD, and a dental condition. The decision is final as it was not appealed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, thus granting these claims.

The Board found no evidence of current hearing loss or tinnitus in service, and the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no nexus to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, do not meet the criteria for a TDIU as they are not severe enough to prevent him from securing or following any form of substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's tinnitus is likely related to service, and the Board finds that service connection for tinnitus is warranted. The claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains pending as it was not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was rated at zero percent prior to August 31, 2009. From that date, the disability is rated as 30 percent disabling.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA audiological examination.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently evaluated as zero percent disabling, and the claim for an increased rating is denied.