Hearing loss decisions — 2012

The Veteran's PTSD with mood disorder has been granted a 100% rating effective April 27, 2004. The syphilis with erectile dysfunction remains noncompensable.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the appellant's bilateral hearing loss and the need for further development, including verification of service periods and a VA examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has been rated as 10 percent disabling since August 2, 2004. The most severe findings of record show Levels VI to VII hearing loss in the right ear with a speech recognition score of 84 percent and Levels II to III hearing loss in the left ear with speech recognition scores between 92 and 90 percent.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active duty service and the Board grants entitlement to service connection for tinnitus. The case is remanded for additional development regarding bilateral hearing loss and bilateral knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a new VA audiology examination and an updated VCAA notice letter to inform the Veteran of the evidence necessary to substantiate his claims. The Veteran will be asked to provide any further information or evidence as may serve to support alleged stressors in service supportive of his PTSD claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is causally related to his military service, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss did not begin during his active duty service and could not be linked to any in-service noise exposure. The VA examiner opined that it was not possible to determine the etiology of the Veteran's current hearing loss without resorting to speculation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and VA treatment records. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 10 percent effective October 23, 2008.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected as they are related to his in-service noise exposure during World War II.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service and concluded that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his period of service, with the Board granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his in-service noise exposure, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss was denied. He was previously granted a noncompensable evaluation, and the current appeal is about whether he should receive an evaluation in excess of 40 percent since August 19, 2009.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by active service, as there was no evidence of a permanent increase in severity during service. The VA examiner concluded that the current right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to acoustic trauma experienced in service.

The Board denied a compensable initial rating for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, finding that his disability did not meet or approximate the criteria for any higher evaluation under VA's rating schedule.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss, ear infection, and mastoiditis were not caused by VA's fault in providing hospital care, medical or surgical treatment, or examination.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded due to the absence of certain VA treatment records prior to July 2008. The claims for service connection will be reconsidered based on this additional evidence.

The Veteran requested to withdraw the issue of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected bilateral hearing loss, and thus the appeal is dismissed.