Hearing loss decisions — 2011

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's in-service noise exposure is related to his current condition. The claim for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the etiology of any diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder, hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Board has determined that the appellant's BHL disability and tinnitus are related to his active duty for training, and thus service connection is granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it is related to his in-service exposure to loud noise. The initial rating for bilateral hearing loss remains unchanged.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are related to his active service, including noise exposure during military service. As such, these conditions have been granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service acoustic trauma, and thus service connection is granted for both conditions.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not etiologically related to exposure to noise in service, and the Board finds that these conditions did not manifest during or within one year of separation from active duty.

The Board has determined that additional development is required to address the matter of entitlement to an extraschedular rating for bilateral hearing loss. The case is REMANDED for further proceedings.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been denied by the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and evaluation to determine if his service-connected disabilities alone, without considering any non-service connected health problems, render him unable to find or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are associated with in-service noise exposure, resulting in a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of his claimed disabilities and to verify his Navy service. The issue of asbestos exposure will also be addressed.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right ear hearing loss disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of a hearing loss disability within one year after service and no medical opinion linking the current condition to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's disability manifested by tinnitus is found to be due to disease or injury that was incurred in active military service, and the Board finds that extending the benefit of doubt to the Veteran results in a grant of service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated as Level II in the right ear and Level IV in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable rating. The Board found that the evidence did not support an initial compensable rating for the disability.

The Veteran seeks an effective date earlier than March 23, 2006 for the award of service connection and a 100% disability evaluation for bilateral hearing loss. The Board finds that there is no basis to grant this claim as it is not factually ascertainable that an increase in disability occurred within one year prior to the date of receipt of his March 23, 2006 claim.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is not productive of higher than Level II hearing acuity in the right ear and Level I hearing acuity in the left ear, thus his claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his military service. The claim was reopened due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss was denied due to lack of current evidence showing a disability. The claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits was also denied as the appellant is currently incarcerated and cannot receive VA medical care.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are causally related to noise exposure during active service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.