Hearing loss Board decisions

The veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss has been reopened, but a remand is necessary to obtain additional evidence and an updated medical opinion.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for issuance of a Statement of the Case on service connection for bilateral hearing loss and neuropsychiatric disability.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a left knee disability rated at 30%, a low back disability rated at 20%, and bilateral hearing loss rated at 10%, do not preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss disability as there was no evidence of a current disability for VA purposes.

The Board remands the case for further development to obtain an appropriate medical opinion and additional audiometric test results.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, increased rating for status-post lateral meniscectomy of the right knee, increase in disability rating for multiple kidney stones, and a compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss. The veteran's current disabilities are rated as noncompensable.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent effective January 5, 2005. Prior to this date, the rating was 50 percent. The veteran also received a TDIU rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of current disability and that his hearing loss is not related to service or service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a hearing disability for VA compensation purposes and his service-connected post-traumatic degenerative joint disease of the left knee is manifested by normal extension. The criteria for an initial disability rating greater than 20 percent for instability of the left knee and an initial disability rating greater than 10 percent for post-traumatic degenerative joint disease of the left knee have not been met.

The Board found that the veteran's assertion of a low back injury during service is not credible, and there is no medical evidence indicating that his currently diagnosed low back disorder is related to service. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were remanded for further development.

The veteran's claim for an effective date before October 11, 2002, for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there was no pending claim before that date.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disorder and bilateral hearing loss were not incurred or aggravated during his military service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss or a ruptured ear drum, and therefore cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records from VA, Social Security Administration, and Office of Worker's Compensation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of worsening since the effective date of service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for right ear sensorineural hearing loss, as there was no evidence of a current disability and no etiological link to his active service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as the evidence did not establish a nexus between the current disability and military service or any incident thereof.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause his death, nor contribute substantially or materially to cause his death.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence linking the conditions to in-service noise exposure.