Hearing loss decisions — 2012

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his request for a hearing, and he subsequently withdrew the appeals of his increased rating claims. As a result, these claims are dismissed.

The Board finds that there is no competent, credible, or probative evidence showing the Veteran currently has a bilateral hearing loss disability. The VA examination report does not show any diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and a higher rating for tinnitus were denied as the disability ratings under VA's rating schedule adequately encompassed his symptoms.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, broken right big toe, residuals of flash burn injury to the right eye, and exposure to Gulf War environmental hazards as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the impact of service-connected disabilities on employability.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is productive of a depressed mood, anxiety, nightmares, flashbacks, hyperarousal, difficulty sleeping, reduced reliability and productivity, resulting in moderate social impairment. The Board finds that the criteria for an initial rating of 50 percent have been met.

The Board has determined that service connection for tinnitus is granted. The remaining issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and cold injury residuals of the big toes are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the current evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA outpatient treatment records and conducting audiologic and neurologic examinations to determine if left ear hearing loss is related to service.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The case is remanded due to the unavailability of his service records and the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran was exposed to excessive noise in service and that his current conditions are related to this exposure.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, raising a reasonable doubt in favor of the claim. The left cerebellar hemispheric mass was not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, dysentery, right eye disability, bilateral foot and knee arthritis, bilateral ankle arthritis, rib disability, left eye disability, hearing loss, PTSD, and malaria have been reopened. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted while others were denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were less likely as not caused by or the result of military noise exposure, and thus denied both claims.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects the severity of his condition based on VA audiological evaluations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is manifested by no worse than Level III in the right ear and Level II in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable evaluation. The claim for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss has been denied.

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

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not due to military noise exposure during service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The highest schedular rating of 30 percent was assigned for the Bell's palsy, left side of face, post-operative residuals. No compensable evaluation was granted for bilateral hearing loss or sinusitis. Service connection was not established for prostate cancer, Type II diabetes mellitus, or a lumbar spine disorder due to herbicide exposure.