Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that new and material evidence had not been received.

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 current disabilities during or within one year after service. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss warrants a 10 percent disability rating, effective June 5, 2006.

The appeal has been withdrawn by the Veteran's authorized representative.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of his service connection claims, including verification of stressors and PTSD diagnosis.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining updated medical records and arranging for VA examinations to assess the severity of his PTSD and determine if he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, including a need for additional development and a request for a hearing.

The Veteran's headaches have not resulted in very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks, preventing him from holding down employment. His service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU due to his ability to work in security.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, with no specific rating assigned.

The Board found no medical evidence to support a connection between the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and his military service, including in-service noise exposure. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have established right or left ear hearing loss by VA standards, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were first shown many years after separation from service, and the preponderance of the competent medical evidence is against a relationship between these conditions and military service.

The Veteran meets the schedular requirements for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, but his unemployability is not solely due to these conditions as he has successfully used hearing aids and retired from his job in 1991.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and psoriasis were denied.,His claim for an increased rating for erectile dysfunction was also denied.

The Veteran's requests for service connection for hearing loss, back strain with recurrent back pain, acquired psychiatric disorder, and left hand/wrist carpal tunnel syndrome were denied as new and material evidence was not presented to reopen the claims. The Veteran's current psychiatric disorder is not linked to his military service.

The Board found no evidence of asbestos exposure during service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lung disorders, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The claim for silicosis was also denied.

The Board has denied all of the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of new and material evidence or insufficient evidence. The claims are being considered on their merits.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for hearing loss due to new evidence. The Veteran's tinnitus claim is remanded for issuance of a Statement of the Case.

The Board has granted service connection for Major Depressive Disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus. The Veteran meets the criteria for a TDIU based on his combined rating of 60 percent from his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus) prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for TDIU.