Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining records from 'L&I' and Western State Mental Hospital.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss was incurred during his military service and grants his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted an 80 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss disability effective from February 7, 2008. The Veteran's right ear is rated as Level XI and his left ear as Level IX.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and coronary artery disease (CAD) as the appellant did not serve in the Republic of Vietnam during active military duty. The claims were also denied on a secondary basis due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is currently manifested by no more than level VII hearing impairment, and the Board has determined that a compensable disability rating is not warranted.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right ear hearing loss disability is not attributable to service, as there was no evidence of significant change in hearing during service or shortly thereafter. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current right ear hearing loss disability had its onset during service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, nor may it be presumed to have been so incurred.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not develop as a result of his military service, and thus denied both claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical history.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating for right knee chondromalacia, service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and service connection for tinnitus were all denied. The Board found that there was no nexus between the current hearing loss and service, and no credible evidence of continuity of symptomatology to service for either hearing loss or tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no current disability of tinnitus and noting the Veteran's in-service noise exposure training but concluding that there is not sufficient evidence to link his current hearing loss or tinnitus to service.

The Board has ordered a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his service, specifically exposure to loud machinery and firing of 40 mm guns during active service. Additional VA treatment records will also be obtained.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting left ear hearing loss became worse during active service, and therefore grants service connection for this disability.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee degenerative arthritis and bilateral hearing loss were not rated higher than noncompensable, as the evidence did not support a finding of more severe impairment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by active service, nor may they be presumed to have been so incurred. As a result, the claims for service connection are denied.

The Veteran's motion for revision of the February 2001 rating decision based on CUE was dismissed without prejudice to refiling.,The Veteran's motion for revision of the May 2002 rating decision based on CUE was also dismissed without prejudice to refiling.

The Veteran's service-connected right eye disability is currently rated at 30 percent and his nonservice-connected left eye has visual acuity of 20/25. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 30 percent.,The Board remanded the case to consider whether a TDIU should be granted on an extra-schedular basis.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated as noncompensable throughout the rating period on appeal due to impairment levels not meeting criteria for a compensable evaluation.