Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim for service connection. The left ear hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's initial rating claim for bilateral hearing loss was granted, but the assigned noncompensable rating is denied as his hearing acuity did not warrant a compensable evaluation at any time during the appeal period.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in active service and may not be presumed to have been so incurred.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verification of service stressors and VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any current left knee disability and disabilities of the feet manifested by blisters.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service hearing loss or tinnitus, and that any current disabilities were not related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being returned to the RO for review of additional evidence and determination of whether he is entitled to a total rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and black lung. However, it granted service connection for a rash as due to undiagnosed illness, headaches as due to undiagnosed illness, and extreme fatigue and frequent bowel movements as due to undiagnosed illness.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there is no competent medical evidence showing a nexus between the conditions and his time in service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no competent evidence of hearing loss in service or for many years thereafter, and no competent medical opinion linking his current hearing loss with service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected, as it was shown to be related to noise exposure during active duty. The claim for tinnitus remains pending and requires further development.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 30 percent from January 15, 2008 forward.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his auditory acuity did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a compensable degree of hearing loss within one year post-service. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information regarding noise exposure in service and outstanding medical records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss will be reconsidered after obtaining these records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to the need for an etiological opinion regarding his detached retina and hearing loss, as well as issues related to his diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability or tinnitus in his left ear, and there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to service. Therefore, the claims for service connection are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his Alzheimer's dementia, which is a nonservice-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations for his low back disorder, lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral hearing loss have been granted. The effective dates are not specified as the ratings were assigned based on service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including loss of teeth, sinus condition, vision problems, bilateral hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD), tinnitus, skin disability, and residuals of a left knee injury were denied. The decision also noted that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of a left knee disorder due to disease or injury incurred in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bronchitis, as well as his requests for increased evaluations for GERD and right knee disability. The evidence did not support a current diagnosis of these conditions.