Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus, and there is no credible evidence linking his claimed conditions to service. The claim for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma remains pending as additional development is needed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss in his right ear as defined by VA standards. The preponderance of evidence is against finding that he incurred or developed any of these conditions during service, and there is no credible evidence linking them to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are not shown to have caused or contributed substantially to his death, which was due to a head injury with subdural hematoma.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, tinnitus, and residuals of traumatic brain injury have been granted. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of hepatitis A, and thus the Veteran's claim for service connection for this condition cannot be granted. The hearing loss disability claim will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability. The Veteran's testimony before the undersigned VLJ concerning his in-service noise exposure and onset of BHL disability is considered sufficient to raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss due to aggravation during service. The issue of tinnitus is remanded as the VA examination report did not consider the Veteran's reports of in-service noise exposure and tinnitus.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is manifested by audiometric test results corresponding to numeric designations no worse than Level I in each ear and speech recognition ability no worse than 94% in the right ear and no worse than 98% in the left ear. The criteria for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss have not been met.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further development, including obtaining records of annual hearing tests and scheduling a VA audiologic examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of current disability. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss has been evaluated as noncompensable since September 26, 2007.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since September 12, 2005. He is also service-connected for ischemic heart disease and tinnitus. The Board finds that the Veteran meets the criteria for a total disability rating based on unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service.

The Board has vacated its March 2, 2001 decision denying service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to exposure to noise in service and the claim is granted.

The Veteran's claims of service connection and initial compensable ratings for left knee bursitis, right knee ganglion cyst, right wrist distal radius fracture, and left ear hearing loss have been granted. The effective date is September 1, 2005.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the appellant's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. This includes obtaining any outstanding VA treatment records and scheduling the appellant for a new VA audiological examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected ventral/umbilical hernia and bilateral hearing loss do not warrant a higher rating at any point during the appeal period.

The Board has found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are etiologically related to his active military service period, resulting in a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disorder, and tendon disorder of the left foot (to include a left ankle disorder). The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

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