Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and posttraumatic head injury (claimed as headaches, vertigo, and depression) due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and headaches, as due to undiagnosed illness or other qualifying, chronic disability. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a current disability.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and TDIU due to lack of evidence linking the current condition to military service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's bilateral hearing loss, which was present at entry into service and did not worsen during his active duty service, is not service-connected.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not due to noise exposure during service and denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss was increased to a 20% rating effective from April 1, 2003.

The VA determined that the veteran's current hearing loss is not causally related to his active service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and awarded an effective date of February 6, 2003. Service connection for left ear hearing loss was denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and chronic bronchitis were denied. Service connection was granted for TMJ locking on the right side, low back strain, and tendonitis of both ankles. Initial ratings were assigned at 10% for TMJ and low back strain, and 0% for ankle tendonitis.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, defective hearing (bilateral high frequency hearing loss), and tinnitus. The evidence now supports a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss warrants a 60 percent disability rating, effective from the date of his claim. The July 2005 audiometric results supported this decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss is etiologically related to his military service and grants his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's left ear hearing loss and right eye disorder were not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The RO provided VA examinations, but did not obtain a medical opinion regarding the nexus between any current right eye disorder and an injury in service.

The veteran's hearing loss has not met the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent, as his puretone thresholds do not exceed the required levels for such an increase.

The Board found that the veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development due to discrepancies in the results of VA and private audiological tests.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, heart disease, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and sinusitis. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to his military service or any other basis.

The Board finds that it is at least as likely as not that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss began during active service. The claim for tinnitus must be denied due to lack of contemporaneous evidence and negative medical opinion.