Hearing loss decisions — 2012

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of June 28, 2010 for a 20 percent disability rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran is found to have current bilateral hearing loss related to active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus. The claim will be reconsidered with additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and attempting to obtain private medical records. The issue of service connection for right ear hearing loss will be reconsidered, as well as the claim for an increased rating for somatization disorder with manifestations of headaches, dizziness, and blackouts.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his service, despite his assertions of in-service noise exposure. The VA audiologist opined that there was no evidence of excessive noise exposure during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is casually related to his military service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable at the time of his death, and thus he was not entitled to a TDIU for accrued benefits purposes.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that the evidence supports a link between the Veteran's military service and his current condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for degenerative disc disease at L5-S1 with facet arthropathy is withdrawn. The claim of service connection for bilateral foot disorder (pes planus) was denied as there is no evidence to support its onset during or immediately following service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his in-service combat-related acoustic trauma, and service connection is granted for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the evidence received since the August 2003 rating decision is not new and material, thus denying the Veteran's attempts to reopen his claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is evaluated as noncompensable under the rating criteria, and no higher evaluation is warranted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased rating, service connection, and TDIU due to new evidence received since previous denials. The case will be further developed with additional examinations and a determination on extraschedular ratings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting right ear hearing loss was aggravated by service, and his left ear hearing loss began during service. The Veteran also had tinnitus that began in service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of a current disability within one year post-service and the VA examiner concluded that it was less likely than not related to service.

The Veteran's hearing loss is found to be related to in-service noise exposure. However, there is no evidence of hypertension during service or for many years thereafter, and the claim cannot be granted as presumptive due to lack of a diagnosis within one year after discharge.

The Veteran does not have hearing loss that is attributable to his active military service. The Board finds the evidence against a nexus between the Veteran's current hearing loss and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, and thus grants the claim for service connection.