Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss with left otitis externa is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The appeal is currently remanded due to incomplete records from the TSA and a need for additional development, including possibly a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an upper torso injury were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability in either case.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are attributable to his active military service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and found that the Veteran's current left ear hearing disability is related to his in-service noise exposure. However, there is no compensable rating assigned as the audiometric evaluations show Level I right ear hearing impairment at all times during the course of the appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability. The Veteran's other claims of entitlement to service connection for various disabilities are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, and migraine headaches have been granted. The initial rating for migraine headaches remains at noncompensable (0 percent).

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the issues of entitlement to a compensable initial rating for erectile dysfunction, service connection for hypoglycemia, and service connection for costochondritis. As such, these issues are dismissed.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, but his ear disease (claimed as ear infections) is not supported by evidence of a chronic condition. The low back disorder was also not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected hysterical neurosis (conversion type) with complaints of right ear hearing loss is rated at 10 percent since August 9, 2005. The residuals of a fractured mandible are not shown to warrant an increased rating.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability and there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or other causative factors. Therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board denied a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss as the evidence did not show an exceptional disability picture or marked interference with employment due to the condition.

The Veteran's hearing acuity was not worse than Level II in either ear, and therefore a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, including noise exposure. As a result, the claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable under the VA rating criteria, and the Board finds that there are no clinical findings to show that his hearing loss meets the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has reopened the claim and determined that there is sufficient evidence to establish service connection for bilateral hearing loss, attributing it to in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's current hearing loss disability meets VA criteria for a disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his in-service noise exposure, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss, which he claims was caused by exposure to loud noise during his active duty training. The case is being remanded for further examination and determination of the onset and cause of the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for left ear pain, finding that his overall bilateral hearing acuity did not warrant a higher evaluation.