Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss was service-connected, while his left ear hearing loss and tinnitus were not.

The appeal is being remanded for additional development to ensure compliance with the Martinak decision and VCAA requirements.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the timeliness of his notice of disagreement to a March 2004 rating decision that denied service connection for various conditions.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, finding it at least as likely as not caused by established in-service noise exposure. The issue of bilateral hearing loss was remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is no more than mild, and he has a bilateral hearing loss disability that is proximately due to and the result of his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disorders, including a left arm disorder, right arm disorder, left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, neck disorder, back disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, hearing loss, and a gastrointestinal disorder were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss was not caused by any noise exposure in or incident of service, and denied the claim for service connection.

The Board granted service connection for residuals of left ankle sprain and denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's initial rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not support a compensable rating.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss as there was no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss disability and his military service or any event therein.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as the conditions were not shown to have manifested during active duty service or within one year of separation, and a current disability was not related to service.

The Board found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but denied entitlement to service connection for both bilateral hearing loss and a left shoulder disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, as there was no medical evidence linking these conditions to his active military service.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not the result of disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for the period prior to October 3, 2008, and in excess of 40 percent since October 3, 2008, for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, cervical spine disability, psoriasis, and bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of a continuity of treatment or a medical nexus between his military service and these conditions.

The Board denied a compensable rating for left ear sensorineural hearing loss, and denied increased ratings greater than 30 percent for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and greater than 20 percent for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The reduction in evaluation from 60 percent to 30 percent for service-connected bilateral hearing loss was properly implemented.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a right lung disorder, an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for chronic left ankle sprain, and an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for major depression, recurrent generalized anxiety disorder were denied. However, the claim for an initial compensable evaluation for right ear hearing loss was granted.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypertension, but denied service connection for heart disease. The claim for an initial compensable rating for a scar on the left buttocks was also denied.