Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his PTSD claim. The issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral elbow condition, and right hip condition secondary to the service-connected residuals of a fracture of left distal fibula and posterior tibial malleolus are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, and left arm scar are related to his military service. The Veteran is granted service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, asbestosis, and an initial evaluation in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with depressive disorder.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and otitis externa are all related to his active duty service. The Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a headache disorder due to the lack of evidence showing that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for loss of use of the right hand was denied, and his initial rating claim for bilateral hearing loss disability was also denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 70 percent for loss of use of the right hand.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right arm and shoulder disability, claimed as secondary to his left shoulder disability, cannot be reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The claims for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy of the BUE, psychiatric disability, vision loss, hypertension, sexual dysfunction, and bilateral feet problems are all denied.

The Board found no evidence of current disabilities related to the Veteran's claimed conditions and denied his claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA audiological examination to assess the current severity of his right ear hearing loss. The Veteran must cooperate by attending the scheduled examination.

The Veteran's timely substantive appeal was filed on June 4, 2007. The Board found that the appeal was timely and granted both issues of service connection for testicle pain due to hydrocele and epididymal head cyst and whether new and material evidence had been received to reopen a claim for entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and residuals of a left foot injury, as well as his claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and may not be presumed to have been so incurred or aggravated.

The Board found no evidence that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's initial ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there is no basis for a higher rating under the applicable VA regulations.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Sycamore Shoals Hospital on February 5, 2007 are now covered by VA.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss was denied, and his claim for service connection for a dental injury due to service trauma was also denied. The Veteran did not have a confirmed in-service dental injury that could be linked to his current condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's current hearing loss disability and tinnitus were not related to his service, as they first manifested many years after separation from active duty.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has not resulted in a disability level that warrants an initial compensable rating under VA's rating criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issue of bilateral hearing loss to obtain a VA audiological examination.