Hearing loss decisions — 2011

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has not been shown to be more than noncompensable at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's current hearing loss in the right ear is related to noise exposure during service, and his claim for service connection has been granted.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic bilateral hearing loss disability and chronic acne rosacea, finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's military service due to noise exposure. The effective date is not specified as it was already in effect.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain the Veteran's National Guard service treatment records, including audiometric test results from his periods of active duty in 1992, 1993, and 2003. The case is REMANDED for these records to be obtained and reviewed by an appropriate VA examiner.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate development of evidence, specifically requiring an examination by an ear, nose and throat physician for a hearing loss disability and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied as the average puretone thresholds did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a new VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss meets the criteria for disability and is related to his exposure to high noise levels during service, including aircraft engine noise. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria set forth in VA regulations.,Service connection for residuals of a hernia repair was not granted as there is no medical evidence showing that the condition had its onset during active duty.

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of a traumatic brain injury is granted.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and residuals of right ankle sprains are not granted.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to a compensable evaluation for hearing loss in the left ear was denied, and his claim of reopening the right ear hearing loss claim was also denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted since the January 2007 rating decision.

The Board found no evidence of a current bilateral hearing loss disability and concluded that the Veteran's hearing loss is not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and arranging for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current right ear hearing loss is related to service. The claims are currently pending.

The Board has decided to reopen the claim for service connection of hearing loss in the right ear and finds that new and material evidence has been received. The Veteran's testimony regarding exposure to acoustic trauma during combat duty is considered, along with a VA audiometric examination, which will determine if his current hearing loss is related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and acquired psychiatric disorder rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to August 23, 2010. As of that date, his combined disability rating was 100 percent due to the bilateral hearing loss, making TDIU moot.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active service, as there is no evidence of chronic symptoms in service or continuity of symptomatology since service separation. The VA audiological examination found no connection between the Veteran's current conditions and service exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable since December 2007. The VA audiometric test results from both the initial examination in December 2007 and a subsequent examination in December 2010 showed level I hearing in both ears, which corresponds to a noncompensable rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that his hearing loss is related to military noise exposure.