Hearing loss decisions — 2012

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board is dismissing the appeals for a compensable evaluation prior to March 7, 2011, and an evaluation in excess of 50 percent on or after that date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The VA determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated by his active duty service.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss did not meet the criteria for service connection as it was not shown to be incurred or aggravated by his military service, and no evidence of a diagnosis within one year post-service was provided.

The Board has determined that there is no current evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus disability for VA purposes and the Veteran's assertions are not credible. Therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as zero percent disabling, reflecting the severity of his condition based on VA examination results. The Board finds no evidence to warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's current major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are related to his service-connected lumbosacral degenerative disc disease. The Board grants these claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his active duty service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's depression has been related to his military service and his service-connected tinnitus, warranting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for clarification of a private medical report and for a contemporaneous VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is service-connected based on credible evidence of an in-service stressor and a current diagnosis. For his bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, the Board finds that additional development is needed to determine if there is a current disability related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied service connection for hypertension. Bilateral hearing loss is presumed to be related to active duty, while hypertension was not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and left knee disorder were denied, while his claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine and right knee disabilities were not addressed.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and chronic headaches, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, and genitourinary disability were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA standards. The claimant was not shown to have a current hearing loss disability by VA standards in either ear.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of left ear hearing loss or tinnitus, and thus cannot establish service connection for these conditions. The claim for chronic urinary tract infections is remanded as there are conflicting statements regarding its existence during service and post-service. The claim for thoracolumbar strain remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a further VA examination to address the nature and etiology of any current right ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have hearing impairment for VA purposes, and thus service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not preclude him from obtaining and retaining all forms of substantially gainful employment.