Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not manifest in service or within one year thereafter, and there is no evidence of continuity of symptomatology. Therefore, service connection for these conditions cannot be established.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active military service, leading to a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for an earlier effective date of July 11, 2005 for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Board has dismissed the appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated during service, nor are they related to any in-service noise exposure. As such, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's statements regarding the onset of his hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to missing service records and the need for medical examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not of sufficient severity to warrant a compensable rating under VA disability evaluation criteria.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied by the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The RO had previously granted service connection and assigned a noncompensable evaluation based on the results of the Veteran's VA audiometric examination in July 2006, which showed Level I hearing for both ears.

The Veteran's claims for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for post-traumatic stress disorder, and for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a bilateral foot disorder have been denied. The evidence received since the final decisions is not new and material to reopen these claims.

The Veteran's hearing loss is rated as Level I in both ears, resulting in a non-compensable rating. The claims for increased ratings for arthritis of the left knee and subluxation of the left knee are not addressed.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining personnel records and a VA audiology examination to determine the functional effects of hearing loss on daily life and whether the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of in-service hearing loss and that the current hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a disability as defined by VA regulations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for an extraschedular rating as his symptoms are consistent with mild bilateral hearing loss and do not present an exceptional or unusual disability picture.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service.

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 current disability or aggravation during service. The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus based on his credible statements about exposure to noise in service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no competent evidence linking these conditions to service or any in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be etiologically related to active duty, and service connection for this condition is granted. The issue of bilateral hearing loss disability remains pending as the VA examiner concluded it was less likely than not caused by or a result of military noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a hearing before the Board. The claims related to increased rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for prostatitis are still pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected left ear hearing loss does not warrant a compensable disability rating.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to medication prescribed for a service-connected disability. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied due to lack of evidence showing a chronic or permanent worsening during service.