Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected right ear hearing loss warrants a 10 percent evaluation, as his pure tone thresholds are within the range for a 10 percent rating. The Board also considered applying special provisions for paired organs but found no basis to elevate the evaluation due to the nature of the hearing impairment in both ears.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that new evidence does not establish a current disability or link to service.

The Board has granted a 50 percent rating for PTSD, finding that the veteran's symptoms match some of the criteria for this rating. The veteran's overall level of disability is assessed to be consistent with a 50 percent rating due to his PTSD symptoms including mood disturbances such as depression and irritability.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not related to any inservice disease or injury.

The Board granted the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, effective from April 30, 1991. The RO also granted a 30 percent disability evaluation for his skin disability. However, the veteran requested an earlier effective date for both claims.

The case is being remanded due to the failure to provide proper VCAA notice. The veteran must be informed of his rights and obligations, including the need for evidence in his possession.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active duty service, and therefore denied both claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient audiometric testing and the need for a VA examination to determine if the veteran currently suffers from bilateral hearing loss and/or tinnitus, and whether these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for right ear and left ear hearing loss, but remands the case to obtain a VA examination to determine if these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right ear condition, left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, sinus polyps and deviated septum, bilateral knee arthritis, lumbar spine arthritis, cervical spine arthritis, and PTSD, are not supported by the evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and conflicting histories of noise exposure. The veteran is requested to provide detailed information about his employment history, including occupational noise exposure, and to identify all relevant healthcare providers for treatment records.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service, as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his time in service. The headaches are considered a residual of a head injury during service but the VA examiner found insufficient evidence to link this condition directly to service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and an initial compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss due to a lack of evidence showing current disabilities within the meaning of VA regulations.

The veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus is granted, with the Board finding that his currently demonstrated tinnitus was due to service. The claim for an increased rating for hearing loss remains denied.

The Board has granted a 10 percent disability rating for the veteran's service-connected hypertensive blood pressure from August 28, 2002 to May 18, 2003. The claim for an increased initial disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for his right ear hearing loss, finding that his audiometric test results corresponded to numeric designations no worse than Level III in each ear.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left bundle branch block, defective vision, tinnitus, vertigo, and an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss to the RO for further development.

The veteran has withdrawn their appeal, and the case is dismissed.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected unilateral hearing loss of the right ear, citing that the evidence did not show an improvement in his condition since the last examination.

The Board found no evidence of a right arm disability incurred or aggravated during service, and concluded that the veteran's pre-existing right arm nevus was not aggravated by service. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are also denied as there is insufficient medical evidence to support their occurrence in service.