Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between in-service noise exposure and current hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including a VA audiology examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and acquired psychiatric disorder were not incurred or aggravated by his service, as they pre-existed his entry into service.

The Veteran's hearing impairment has not met the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's disability evaluation schedule, and thus his claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his right elbow and knee conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has determined that referral to the VA Compensation and Pension Service is warranted for consideration of a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated by service, and therefore denied his claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, right hand disability (claimed as residuals of a fracture of the third finger), right hip disability, bone disorder (claimed as residuals of fractured ribs), and low back disability have all been denied. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a clarifying medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of his current hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be the result of his military service, and he is granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the January 2004 rating decision is not final and a timely substantive appeal was filed. The Veteran's claims are remanded for further development, including obtaining a VA audio examination to determine the etiology of any current bilateral hearing loss and/or tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus and jungle rot of the feet have been granted. The Veteran has also submitted evidence suggesting he may have psoriasis and arthritis including psoriatic arthritis related to his service. These issues are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's case is being remanded for a VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The evaluation will be readjudicated after the examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have onset during his military service, and the Board finds it at least as likely as not that the Veteran's hearing loss was also caused by his exposure to loud noises in service. Service connection for both tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, with the opinion being that both conditions are due to noise exposure in service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims for left ear hearing loss and right knee disability. The evaluation in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a fracture of the right index finger remains unchanged.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is causally related to his exposure to noise trauma in service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were incurred in service, with noise exposure during active duty. As such, these conditions are granted as service connected.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are not related to his military service, and thus denied both claims.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The effective date of the award of a 40 percent evaluation for bilateral hearing loss remains unchanged at January 23, 2008.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully evaluate the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The case will be returned to the Board after this development.