Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service and have denied all of his claims.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 60 percent for bilateral hearing loss was denied by the RO, and a rating of 60 percent has been assigned effective from September 7, 2000.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is causally related to his active service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to the character of the claimant's discharge and new evidence for reopening claims. The appeal is now in a pending status.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, including noise exposure during active duty. As such, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service and is not proximately due to a service-connected disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral knee and hearing loss disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were present during or within one year after service. The Veteran did not have any diagnosed hearing impairment or peripheral neuropathy in his upper extremities at separation from service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of right elbow fracture with scar, have been denied. The Board found no current evidence of a bilateral hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes and concluded that the Veteran's tinnitus is not service-connected.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and chronic tinnitus. After considering all of the evidence, including VA and private audiometric examinations and treatment reports, medical articles and treatises, and statements from the Veteran's private physician and audiologist, the Board finds that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is not due to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is attributable to service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss by VA standards and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a bilateral eye disorder due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were not incurred in service, as his pre-existing hearing loss was demonstrated prior to entrance into service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's claims for psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, inguinal hernias, Achilles tendonitis of the right foot, plantar fasciitis of the left foot, thoracic spine condition, erectile dysfunction, bilateral knee condition, and skin condition (psoriasis, warts, abscesses, cysts) have been reopened. Service connection has not been established for any of these conditions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the claims of entitlement to service connection for lumbar spine spondylolysis and bilateral hearing loss. The claim for tinnitus is remanded.

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

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder and bilateral hearing loss have been granted service connection. His increased rating for left thoracic empyema status post decortication and pleurectomy is also granted.