Hearing loss decisions — 2011

The Board granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and remanded the other issues. The Veteran's left ear disorder (other than hearing loss) did not have an onset in service, and there is no evidence of a current psychiatric disorder that meets the criteria for PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 70 percent as of September 8, 2008. The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service, and the Veteran's current conditions are not related to military service. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his conditions are not shown to be causally or etiologically related to his active duty military service.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence is not new and material, thus denying the Veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral hearing loss disorder and tinnitus disorder.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied by the Board. The VA examinations showed that the Veteran had Level I hearing in both ears, which corresponds to a noncompensable rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that there is no etiological relationship between the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and his current bilateral hearing loss, thus denying service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of whether his service-connected disabilities render him unemployable.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have hearing loss or tinnitus as a result of disease or injury incurred during his active military service.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted effective March 20, 1991. The effective date was advanced based on the fact that he had been unable to work since the 1980s.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as 10 percent disabling since the effective date of service connection. The VA examinations have consistently shown that his hearing impairment does not warrant a higher rating.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or otherwise the result of his active service. The claim for a bilateral knee disorder is reopened, but further development is required to address the underlying service connection issue.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when combined, meet the criteria for a TDIU. The evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the appellant is entitled to service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus. The remaining claims have been withdrawn by the appellant.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to military service due to noise exposure, and thus grants service connection for both conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims. The Board also found that the Veteran's current tinnitus was not related to his period of active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is related to his active service, and thus grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal was granted, with a 30 percent disability evaluation for PTSD. Service connection for coronary artery disease and hypertension were also granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service in the Republic of Vietnam. However, service connection for BPH was withdrawn by the Veteran.