Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, including exposure to acoustic trauma during combat in Vietnam. As such, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Veteran is seeking a higher disability rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, which he claims makes him unable to maintain employment. The case is being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining SSA records and scheduling the Veteran for another VA audiological examination.

The Veteran's hearing loss in the right ear is rated as noncompensable, and his left eyebrow scar with associated hearing impairment does not meet criteria for a compensable rating. The Board finds that neither condition warrants an initial compensable evaluation.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for an increased rating for right ear hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's failure to report for a VA examination and requests that he be scheduled for one. The examiner should determine if his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, including noise exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and initial rating of PTSD, as well as his claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claims are to be considered in light of all pertinent evidence and legal authority, including whether staged ratings should be applied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete clinical records and the need for a VA medical opinion regarding whether he suffered additional disability as a result of the July 2003 surgery, and if so, whether it was caused by carelessness or negligence.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are likely due to acoustic trauma exposure during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear sensorineural hearing loss does not warrant a compensable evaluation, as it results in no more than Level VII-IX hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted since the 1992 rating decision.

The Board granted service connection for keloid scars of the left arm and assigned a 10 percent rating effective April 28, 2008. The other issues were not addressed as they are no longer on appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, low back disorder, heart disease, sleep disorder, and neuropathy of the hands were denied. The Board found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD).

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left knee disorder has been withdrawn. The claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to July 3, 2007, is denied as the evidence does not support a higher disability rating. The claim for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for service-connected bilateral hearing loss from July 3, 2007, is also denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and ensuring VCAA compliance.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his active military service, including his period of service in the Republic of Vietnam. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated in active military service. The evidence did not show objective evidence of significant acoustic trauma during service, nor was there any chronicity of symptoms for decades after separation.

The Board found that the appellant's hearing loss disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a VA audiometric examination to determine the current severity of the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The veteran must report for this examination, or else documentation showing that notice was sent and failed to be delivered must be provided.