Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's infertility, hearing loss, and skin rash are not service-connected. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The Board finds that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service. Therefore, his claims for service connection are denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable evaluation.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for bipolar disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The earliest effective date that can be assigned is September 11, 2001.

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

The Board has determined that the veteran's hearing loss in the left ear had its onset during service and granted service connection for this condition. The Board also found no current disability of the left knee or chronic low back disability, thus denying these claims.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 21, 2001, for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of a formal or informal application for this benefit before that date.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss in his left ear was not incurred or aggravated by service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's right ear hearing loss existed prior to service and did not undergo any increase in underlying pathology during service. Therefore, it was denied as incurred in or aggravated by service.

The VA has denied an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's claimed conditions.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) were denied due to his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations in August 2004.

The Board has determined that a 20 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss is warranted effective October 20, 2004.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability does not warrant a compensable evaluation, as his pure tone thresholds do not meet the criteria for any higher rating under VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran did not have residuals of a fungus of the ear, otitis externa, including Meniere's disease with vertigo, tinnitus and hearing loss as a result of his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's service connection claims for left shoulder disability and bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence of a current disability related to his period of service.

The veteran's tinnitus and bladder dysfunction were found to be related to service, while his hearing loss was not. The VA examiner opined that the veteran's chlamydia urethritis was acute and transitory with no current residuals.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, including as due to herbicide exposure, has been withdrawn. The case is remanded for further development regarding the issues of skin disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, flat feet, bilateral lower extremity cold injuries, bilateral lower extremity traumatic arthritis, and bilateral lower extremity osteoporosis. The claim for heart disease was also denied as new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen it.