Hearing loss Board decisions

The VA denied the veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before the appeal can be adjudicated. This includes obtaining VA treatment records from Tuskegee and Montgomery VAMCs for a low back disability, scheduling an audiologist examination to determine if the veteran currently has a bilateral hearing loss disability, and providing the veteran with notice of his rights regarding his pending claims.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a hearing loss disability as defined by VA standards, and therefore service connection for bilateral high frequency sensorineural hearing loss is denied.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted it, finding that there is sufficient evidence to establish a link between the veteran's current hearing loss and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the veteran and issues related to reopening a previously denied claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for hearing loss of the right ear has been dismissed due to a lack of jurisdiction. The issues of his entitlement to service connection for tinnitus and whether new and material evidence has been presented to reopen a claim for chronic otitis media with hearing loss of the left ear are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board found that the veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his service, as there is no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus in service or within one year after service. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the veteran's hearing loss and/or tinnitus were caused by noise exposure during service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), and a gastrointestinal disorder due to lack of evidence demonstrating these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The veteran's service connection claim for bilateral tinnitus was granted, and his hearing loss claim is remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are at least partly due to his in-service noise exposure, which is considered service-connected.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability and remanded the issue of service connection for tinnitus.

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

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

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 10 percent, while his hearing loss remains noncompensable.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated in service and denied his claim.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, lung disease, and heart disease. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and his time in military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied across the board due to lack of evidence linking any claimed conditions to his military service.

The veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private hospital on September 20 & 21, 2005 are denied as the treatment was not for an emergency and VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating, and thus denied his claim for an increased initial (compensable) rating.