Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, recurrent tinnitus, and residuals of nasal surgery (claimed as sleep apnea) due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate VCAA notice and procedural errors.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was granted, and a staged rating in excess of 20 percent is denied as of January 29, 2008.

The Board found no current hearing loss disability in either ear and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. For tinnitus, the Board concluded that it was not incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to active service, as his right ear hearing loss pre-existed service and is not aggravated by in-service noise exposure. The left ear hearing loss does not meet VA compensation criteria.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease leading to these conditions. The claim for increase in hearing loss also failed as the current disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, with an average puretone threshold of 35 dB and a speech recognition score of 96%. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,Service connection for residuals of a left eye injury was denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of chronicity in service or continuity of symptomatology since discharge, and the current diagnosis of refractive error, presbyopia, cataracts (not visually significant), and suspected glaucoma does not support a finding of causation with active service.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for all issues except gout, which received a 20% disability rating. The remaining conditions were either not granted or had their ratings denied.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected back disability is denied.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and by itself or when considered with previous evidence of record, relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional evidentiary and procedural development, including scheduling a Travel Board hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development and examination.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his time in active duty or inactive duty training.

The VA determined that there is no current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss, and thus denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and hepatitis C are not related to service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active military service or events therein, and thus denied service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed low back disorder, neck disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and gastrointestinal disorders are not service-connected.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The VA determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated by service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.