Hearing loss decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claim of an initial disability rating in excess of 40 percent for bilateral hearing loss has been granted, but the case is being remanded due to further development required.

The Veteran's claims for new and material evidence to reopen his service connection claims are being remanded due to the failure to report for a scheduled hearing. The Board will reschedule the Veteran for a Travel Board hearing at the earliest available opportunity.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and Vet Center treatment records, clarifying whether the Veteran applied for Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits, scheduling examinations to assess the severity of PTSD and any other claimed disabilities, and seeking medical opinions regarding service connection.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and sinusitis were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or continuity of symptoms since service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for an adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of his hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal of the issue of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to his request for withdrawal. The case is being remanded for further development and readjudication, including obtaining private treatment records and SSA records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of his bilateral hearing loss and low back condition.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims of service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss. The February 1998 rating decision remains final.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to determine if the Veteran currently has a right ear hearing loss disability and whether it is related to service. The case will be returned for further review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are directly related to his military service, with significant noise exposure during active duty. The evidence supports a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted it. The Veteran is now entitled to a compensable rating for his right wrist disability.,Service connection for tinnitus was also established, as there is evidence that the condition first developed during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and left eye injury are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of a hearing or eye disability during service or for many years thereafter. The claim for service connection for these conditions is therefore denied.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by his active service and sensorineural hearing loss may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board found that the Veteran's service treatment records did not show any diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss, and concluded that his current condition is more likely due to age-related hearing loss rather than in-service noise exposure. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss alone has rendered him unable to follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board finds that he meets the criteria for a TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his period of active service, with noise exposure during his tour in Alexandroupolis, Greece. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss but granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions were related to noise exposure during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are secondary to his service-connected Type II diabetes mellitus, warranting service connection.

The Veteran's hearing acuity was found to be worse than Level III in either ear, but not worse than Level V. The Board determined that the Veteran's hearing loss alone did not render him unemployable and awarded a non-compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was rated at 40 percent from February 2003 to April 21, 2005. The VA audiology examination conducted on April 21, 2005 resulted in a 60 percent disability rating due to exceptional hearing patterns. This rating has been maintained since then.