Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the appellant's bilateral hearing loss and allergies were not incurred or aggravated during service, nor are they related to any in-service noise exposure or medical history. As such, the claims for service connection for these conditions have been denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, coronary artery disease, numbness of the hands and feet, blurred vision, and bilateral hearing loss. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board finds that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for psoriatic arthritis of the right and left hands, as well as his claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to November 14, 2005, are being remanded. His claim for an increased evaluation for bilateral hearing loss from November 14, 2005 forward is also being remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for ALS, an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus. The maximum schedular rating available for tinnitus was assigned.

The Board found no evidence of current bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus that is related to service, and the left shoulder disorder was not linked to service. The veteran's currently manifested conditions are attributed to his post-service employment.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for chronic sinusitis, migraine headaches, left ear hearing loss, or a low back disorder.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and development due to the need for clarification on the etiology of his tinnitus and assessment of his bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the veteran's headaches and bilateral hearing loss are related to his service, with current evidence supporting this conclusion.

The Board found no evidence of a fungal ear infection or acoustic trauma during service, and concluded that the veteran's current sensorineural hearing loss is not related to his military service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The case will be returned to the Board after these actions are completed.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a pulmonary disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and skin cancer. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating, resulting in a denial of his claim.

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not related to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, impotence as secondary to prostate cancer, and a skin disorder due to Agent Orange exposure. The decision also noted that new evidence received since the last denial did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate any of these claims.

The Board is deferring appellate review of the claim of service connection for tinnitus and remanding the case to ensure VCAA compliance with Kent v. Nicholson, 20 Vet.App. 1 (2006).

The Board found no evidence of current bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus that is related to service, and denied the veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated during military service and may not be presumed to have been so incurred. The preponderance of evidence is against a finding that the veteran's hearing loss was present in service, related to service, or manifested itself to a compensable degree within a year following separation from active duty.