Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board denied the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss and did not address his earlier effective date claim for tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes and finds no evidence of any in-service injury or disease resulting in such. The right hand lesion was treated during service, but there is insufficient medical evidence to determine if it persists.

The VA has determined that the appellant's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability did not warrant a compensable rating prior to June 12, 2008 and does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 50 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and may not be presumed to have been so incurred or aggravated. Therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service, as there was no evidence of a nexus between his in-service noise exposure and his current condition. The preponderance of the evidence showed that any hearing loss did not manifest during or within one year after service.

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

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a lung disorder, right ear hearing loss, and a disability characterized by dizziness and fainting have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for service connection as it was not shown to have been incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and a sensorineural hearing loss may not be presumed to have been so incurred.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and verifying service in Vietnam.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board found that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's hearing loss is not related to service and was denied.

The Veteran's request for a Board hearing at the RO has not been withdrawn, and he failed to appear for his scheduled personal hearing. The case is being remanded to schedule the Veteran for a Board hearing.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is being remanded for further development, including a more contemporaneous VA audiological examination and consideration of whether referral for an extra-schedular evaluation is warranted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is causally related to noise exposure during active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 21, 2006 for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as there was no communication from the Veteran regarding this issue until March 21, 2006.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and development.

The Veteran's initial claim for service-connected bilateral hearing loss was granted with a 40 percent disability rating effective January 19, 2006. The Veteran now seeks an increased evaluation to 70 percent from June 27, 2007.