Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and left knee arthritis have been denied. However, the Veteran was granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left knee.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus and a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no legal basis to award higher evaluations under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his bilateral hearing loss and its functional effects. The TDIU claim will be reconsidered after the increased rating decision on the hearing loss.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus did not have their onset in service or are otherwise related to service, thus denying his claims for service connection.

The VA denied a compensable evaluation for the appellant's left ear hearing loss disability and did not grant service connection for his low back disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss for VA compensation purposes and therefore denied service connection.

The Board has determined that a program of independent living services, including bathroom remodeling, is not necessary for the appellant's independence in daily living.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current right ear hearing loss disability as defined by VA, and thus service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected right ear hearing loss has been manifested by no more than auditory acuity level I, and his left ear hearing loss has also been manifested by no more than auditory acuity level I. Therefore, the claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected right ear hearing loss is currently rated noncompensably (zero percent) disabling. The Board found that the evidence did not show that his condition warranted a compensable rating.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 40 percent before February 12, 2008 and at 20 percent from that date onward.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that no new and material evidence was submitted.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as his audiometric testing does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA's disability rating schedule.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied. The Veteran is currently assigned a 10% rating for tinnitus, the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 6260.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he claims are related to exposure to acoustic trauma during his military service. The case is being remanded for a VA audiological evaluation to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service head injury and noise exposure, respectively.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, gout, and hypertension as the evidence did not show a relationship to active military service.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the current nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which are claimed as service-connected conditions. The appeal will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were granted, but his claim for a back disorder was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.