Hearing loss decisions — 2011

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to issues related to PTSD and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations, and his claim will be reconsidered after these examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is causally related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and low back disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's service-connected right ear hearing loss, finding that her disability did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's service records do not show any evidence of a current bilateral hearing loss disability. The VA audiological examination in May 2007 found normal hearing, and post-service audiograms have also shown normal hearing. Therefore, the Board finds that service connection for bilateral hearing loss is not warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service, as evidenced by normal hearing tests during and at separation from service. As such, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss warrants a noncompensable rating prior to November 16, 2009, and a 10 percent rating from that date.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and clarifying private audiogram results. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is being evaluated to determine if it is related to his service.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability that meets the VA criteria for hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable disability rating for hearing loss and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for headaches have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss does not warrant a compensable evaluation, as his most severe hearing impairment corresponds to Level IV on the VA auditory acuity table. For headaches, while the Veteran reported frequent episodes, they were not considered very frequent or completely prostrating, thus preventing him from receiving a higher 50% rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for fracture of the right ring finger, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral hip disability is denied as new and material evidence was not received to reopen these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated as noncompensable. The VA determined that the Veteran's current level of hearing impairment does not warrant a compensable rating.

The Veteran's service-connected Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and bilateral hearing loss are found to be of such severity that they render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, including in-service acoustic trauma. As a result, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral tinnitus is denied as the schedular criteria are adequate to rate his level of impairment. The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to a lack of complete audiometric testing results.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and post-operative prostate cancer were granted, but with no compensable ratings assigned.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss was found to have initially manifested during his period of service, and the Board finds that it is related to service. The issue of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, to include as secondary to PTSD, will be addressed in a separate decision.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The case will be remanded for further action.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU, but his unemployability is due to his service-connected conditions. The case is REMANDED for further consideration on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable evaluation for hearing loss in the right ear was denied, and his claims for service connection for tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disability (to include depression, anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, conversion disorder, somatization disorder, and personality disorder), and PTSD were also denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD.