Hearing loss decisions — 2012

The Board has denied the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his bilateral hearing loss disability and residuals of shell fragment wound, right buttock.

The Veteran's claim for right ear hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of current hearing impairment.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was also denied, with the Board finding that the Veteran did not provide sufficient information to establish a diagnosis.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is attributed to exposure to noise during his active service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The VA determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating, as his audiometric results did not show impairment severe enough to warrant such a rating.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claims of service connection for right knee/leg disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records from private providers and VA facilities. The Veteran's claims will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted, while his claim for right ear hearing loss is denied. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew it prior to appeal. Service connection for a respiratory disorder, claimed as due to in-service dust and asbestos exposure, is also dismissed.

The Board finds that the Veteran is not entitled to an effective date earlier than July 31, 2008 for the establishment of service connection for tinnitus and hearing loss as there was no indication from the Veteran prior to this date that he sought or believed he was entitled to such benefits.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA hearing examination and the retrieval of treatment records from his providers. The Veteran contends that his service-connected bilateral hearing loss has worsened, necessitating further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and testing, as the prior audiometric results were unreliable.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, including whether these conditions are related to his military service.

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

The Veteran's request for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need to schedule a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Board has remanded the case for clarification of whether the Veteran's service-connected conditions, when considered together, render him unemployable. The claim will be readjudicated after obtaining a new opinion from the VA examiner.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, as it pre-existed his military service and did not worsen during service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his military service. The hearing loss is presumed due to acoustic trauma during active duty and National Guard service, while the tinnitus is considered to be related to noise exposure in service.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claims of service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, left hip disability, and diplopia as residual of a facial fracture. The Veteran's right hip issue is also on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of a nexus between current symptoms and service. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss in the right ear did not permanently increase in severity during service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board finds that the Veteran has a current disability of bilateral hearing loss, which is presumed to have been incurred during service due to in-service acoustic trauma and continuous post-service symptoms. The claim for service connection is granted.