Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board found no evidence of in-service hearing loss or tinnitus, and thus denied the veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's increased rating claims for left ear hearing loss and left elbow disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating than the current 40 percent assigned since March 29, 2000.

The Board found no evidence of tinnitus or bilateral hearing loss within the first year after discharge, and there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to service. Therefore, the claims for service connection were denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD, a compensable rating for multiple SFW scars, service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating, and thus denied his claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not begin during service or within one year of his discharge, and there is no evidence linking it to an in-service injury or noise exposure. The VA examiner found that the most likely cause of the veteran's hearing loss was degenerative changes related to aging, rather than a connection to service.

The Board found that the veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or related to service, and denied his claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The case is being remanded for additional audiometric testing.

The Board has decided that the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for hearing loss requires additional development and an audiometric examination.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for a compensable initial evaluation for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence does not warrant such an evaluation at any time since September 10, 2001.

The veteran's separation pay was recouped from his VA disability compensation due to a statutory requirement, and the Board found that this action was proper.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral ankle disability and compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding no medical evidence indicating current diagnoses.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable before March 16, 2005 and as 10 percent disabling as of March 16, 2005. The appeal for an increased rating is denied.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for further development and consideration of the appellant's claims for service connection for back disorder and hearing loss.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The veteran was granted service connection for right ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus, but denied service connection for left ear hearing loss disability and a psychiatric disability (including PTSD).

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and denied the claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and did not address his claims for service connection for tinnitus and degenerative changes of the right knee.

The case is REMANDED for the following actions: (1) Request the veteran to report the entire period since his retirement from service during which he has received VA medical treatment and the location of that treatment, and also any other medical treatment he has received since military retirement for any of the conditions for which he seeks service connection. (2) Schedule the veteran for VA examination to document his current hearing acuity and for the examiner to provide an opinion of the time of onset of hearing impairment and whether it is less than, equal to, or greater than 50 percent probable that current hearing impairment results from acoustic trauma in service or any other incident of service. (3) If and only if additional medical records are obtained, consider whether the veteran is entitled to additional VA examinations as provided in 38 C.F.R. § 3.159(c)(4), and schedule any indicated examinations.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for hearing loss is denied as the claim was received more than one year after his separation from active duty.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss, rash on buttocks, and right knee impairment were not incurred or aggravated by service. The preponderance of evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.