Hearing loss decisions — 2011

The Veteran's service connection claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an increased rating for the left ankle disability are granted. The Board finds that the Veteran is likely as not to have injured his left thumb in service, leading to current post-traumatic osteoarthritis.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any hearing loss and vertigo, as well as to obtain all pertinent medical records. The Veteran's claims will be returned for further review after this development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development of the evidentiary record, including obtaining relevant Social Security Administration records and contemporaneous VA examinations to assess his hearing loss and psychiatric disability. The TDIU claim will also be addressed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, as evidenced by high frequency hearing loss diagnosed during active duty. As such, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service, as there was no evidence of such during service and no continuity of symptoms. The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are less likely caused by acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's hearing loss was not shown to be present within one year of discharge from service, and the evidence does not show that he currently has bilateral hearing loss in accordance with VA standards. As such, his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not etiologically related to exposure to noise in service. The Board finds that the Veteran did not have chronic symptoms of hearing loss or tinnitus during service, and there is no evidence of continuous symptoms since service separation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are attributable to noise exposure during his military service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has determined that additional information is needed regarding the Veteran's periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty training (INACDUTRA), as well as his job responsibilities during those periods. The case is therefore being remanded to obtain this information.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination report and needs further development, including obtaining additional medical records.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further development, including obtaining a VA examination and providing an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a TDIU examination. The appellant's service-connected disabilities are to be considered in combination with his other conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 10 percent since August 31, 2004. The claim for a higher rating remains viable as the Veteran is presumed to seek the maximum available benefit.

The Veteran's initial hearing loss rating was denied prior to August 26, 2010 and a 20% rating is denied effective from that date.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss was initially rated as noncompensable prior to January 28, 2011. From that date, the Veteran is entitled to a compensable rating of 10 percent.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within one year after discharge. The Board also found that the current diagnoses are not related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, grand mal seizures, headaches, hearing loss, and dizziness are being remanded due to the need for additional records from his VA treatment providers.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable evaluation, and thus denied his claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are causally related to his active duty service, granting service connection for both conditions.