Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hearing loss is not related to service and did not manifest within one year after separation from service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a sinus disorder, finding that his symptoms do not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under VA regulations.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence of hearing loss disability in the right ear during service or within one year post-service, and concluded that it is not related to service. For the left ear, the Board noted that while there was a current diagnosis of mild to moderately severe sensorineural hearing loss, the veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, right ear hearing loss, left knee disability, facial scars, and head trauma with headaches and blurred vision.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for compensable evaluations for right ear hearing loss, otitis media, and antral gastritis due to lack of evidence supporting the requested increased ratings.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are found to be due to in-service noise exposure, thus service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing service medical records and the need for a VA examination.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including verification of his periods of active duty and National Guard service, obtaining medical records from those periods, and providing the veteran with VA examinations to determine if any of the claimed conditions occurred during such service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating, as his auditory acuity levels do not meet the criteria for any higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims for service connection for a back disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, and bilateral hearing loss have been denied as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease resulting in these conditions. The current diagnoses are not shown to be related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's psychiatric disability, diagnosed as psychosis, was aggravated during military service and thus warrants service connection. Bilateral hearing loss is not considered to be related to military service. The current diagnosis of macular degenerative disease in the left eye is not found to have been incurred or aggravated by military service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for the purpose of obtaining VA medical records related to his hearing loss, and then readjudicating the claims.

The veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his disability did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under the applicable schedular criteria.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of these conditions during or after active duty service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus, bursitis of the right shoulder, degenerative changes in the cervical spine, hearing loss of the left ear, pansinusitis, diverticulum of the esophagus and duodenum, and heel spurs of the right os calcis. The veteran was not shown to have been exposed to Agent Orange during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of records and need for further medical examination.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee, hemorrhoids, and tinnitus have been denied. The RO assigned a no percent evaluation for bilateral hearing loss prior to March 19, 2005 and a 10 percent evaluation as of that date. For the patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee, the veteran was granted a 10 percent evaluation effective from March 19, 2005. The RO also assigned a 10 percent evaluation for hemorrhoids and denied an increased evaluation for tinnitus.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his occupational experience and educational background. As a result, the claim for TDIU is denied.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. His right ear hearing loss was rated as noncompensable, his Meniere's disease claim was not addressed due to lack of evidence, and he did not have a lung disability or shoulder/knee disabilities related to military service.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss as of September 5, 2001.