Hearing loss decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, including exposure to loud noises such as aircraft engines. As a result, the Board grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining vocational rehabilitation records and clarifying his disability retirement status.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is likely related to service, and his bilateral hearing loss was manifested by level II and III hearing in both ears. However, there are no compensable ratings assigned for his hearing loss as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities. The RO's initial grant of service connection and assignment of a noncompensable rating are upheld.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in relative equipoise regarding a causal relationship between the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and his current bilateral hearing loss. As such, service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service. The VA audiological evaluations did not find a medical nexus between the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and his current disabilities.

The Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus, which have resulted in a combined disability rating of 80 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure, resolving all reasonable doubt in his favor.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable disability rating at any point during the appeal period.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and granted service connection for anxiety disorder, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing anxiety disorder was likely aggravated by his period of service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his hearing acuity did not meet the VA criteria for disability and concluding that any current hearing impairment was not caused by or aggravated by noise exposure in service.

The Board found that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss was not present in service and is not etiologically related to service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing bilateral hearing loss was not aggravated by service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral pes planus, posttraumatic headaches, and benign positional vertigo are not supported by the evidence of record. The current evaluations adequately reflect the severity of these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not have its onset during service or within one year of his discharge, and is not a result of disease or injury incurred in service. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss, specifically the validity of a private audiometric test conducted in May 2011. The Veteran needs further audiometric testing by an audiologist to determine if he manifests hearing loss disability and whether it is related to service.

The Board finds that there is an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, and therefore grants service connection for these conditions as they are considered to be directly related to her military service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and a left ankle disorder are denied as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to service.