Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining military-retiree records and scheduling an audiological examination to determine the existence and etiology of any hearing loss and tinnitus.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss warrants a rating of 30 percent, which is the maximum available under current regulations.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of hearing loss during or within one year after service and that any current hearing loss is unrelated to military service.

The VA granted the veteran service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but assigned a noncompensable rating effective August 10, 2005.

The veteran's appeal was not timely filed, and the Board lacks jurisdiction to consider this issue.

The Board finds that the veteran's right ear hearing disability and tinnitus are likely due to exposure to acoustic trauma during service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board finds that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, as evidenced by credible testimony regarding inservice acoustic trauma and documented tinnitus and hearing loss meeting VA criteria. As a result, service connection for both conditions is granted.

The case is being remanded for additional development of medical records and examination to determine the etiology of the veteran's hearing loss and PTSD, as well as to assess their current severity.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable evaluation throughout the appeal period.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service, as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his time in service. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is sufficient evidence to support these conditions as being related to his military service. The decision also notes that the veteran had high frequency sensorineural hearing loss at the time of his discharge from the military.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, specifically noise exposure aboard an aircraft carrier. As a result, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and found that new and material evidence had not been submitted sufficient to reopen the claims of bilateral shoulder disability, right knee disability, right hand and fingers disability, lupus erythematosus, generalized degenerative arthritis, hypertension, Sjorgren's disease, stomach disability, prostate disability, residuals of a fractured right forefinger, and residuals of an injury to the left side. The veteran is seeking to reopen these claims.

The veteran's claim of service connection for hearing loss in the left ear is denied by operation of law.,The veteran's initial rating claims have been granted, with a 30 percent rating assigned for his right knee disability.

The veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of TDIU, finding that entitlement was not shown based on available record any sooner than April 24, 2001.

The Board has determined that the veteran's vertigo and bilateral hearing loss are not service-connected, and therefore denied both claims. The veteran's current level of bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating, and thus denied his claim for an initial compensatory disability rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current residuals of a brain aneurysm are not related to his periods of active duty for training, and thus service connection is denied.