Hearing loss decisions — 2012

The appellant's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and recurrent vertigo) have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as the RO has not provided a higher evaluation for tinnitus and has denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, left hip disability, left foot disability, and PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

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

The Veteran does not have a diagnosed bilateral hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes, and therefore, service connection cannot be granted.

The Board finds that additional development is necessary for the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Specifically, a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions. The Veteran's service personnel records should also be requested on remand.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and an appropriate VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, including exposure to noise during his time as a field artillery batteryman. As such, the claim for service connection for hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his disability does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

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

The Board has determined that a higher initial (compensable) rating for bilateral hearing loss is not warranted during the entire initial rating period under appeal.

The Veteran's initial compensable evaluation for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is denied as his disability does not warrant a higher rating based on the applicable VA criteria.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he attributes to noise exposure during service. The Board has determined that a new examination is needed due to the inadequacy of the June 2008 VA audiology examination.

The Board found no evidence of a relationship between the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and his active duty military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, neck and shoulder disabilities, and hepatitis C. The evidence submitted since the final decisions is new and material, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is causally related to his acoustic trauma in service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are not related to service, as there is no evidence of in-service hearing problems or noise exposure. The current disabilities have been attributed to post-service occupational noise exposure.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss, which he contends began during his military service. The May 2011 VA examination did not address the Veteran's assertions of in-service incurrence and continuity of symptomatology with respect to his hearing loss.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of hearing loss during service and it did not manifest within one year after discharge. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.