Hearing loss decisions — 2012

The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability to his active duty service, and denied the claim.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be service-connected due to exposure to noise during his active duty. The claim for a TDIU rating is granted based on the combined disability ratings.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no competent evidence of a current disability, and the available medical records do not support a finding that his hearing loss is related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss. The issues of service connection for various conditions, including cancer residuals and psychiatric disorders, were also addressed but the decision is not clear on whether they were granted or denied.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Board finds that additional development is needed, including obtaining service personnel records to corroborate noise exposure in service and conducting a VA audiological examination.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's otitis externa was also denied as there was no evidence relating it to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete verification of the Veteran's service periods and additional development is needed, including an audiometric examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is service-connected, as it was present during active duty and is related to his in-service complaints of back pain. The hearing loss claim is not supported by evidence showing a current disability.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of left ear hearing loss for VA purposes and thus, service connection is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment. The appeal is currently in remand status.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including an Administrative Decision regarding his service from December 1983 to April 1989 and a VA examination to determine the etiology of his hearing loss and PTSD.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there was no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service. The Veteran's statements about when he first noticed these conditions were inconsistent with the contemporaneous medical records.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss, which he claims is due to noise exposure during service in Vietnam. The VA examiner found no evidence of hearing loss at separation and concluded that the current hearing loss is not related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is granted as his hearing loss disability was incurred in active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding his hearing loss, right eardrum disorder, knee disorder, vertigo, dizziness, and wrist fractures.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability. The Board found that the Veteran did not have right ear hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes and his tinnitus is unrelated to service. Therefore, the claims for service connection for these conditions are denied.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is currently at 60%, which does not meet the percentage standards for a TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a). However, due to his service-connected lumbar spine disability and other conditions, he may be unemployable by reason of service-connected disabilities. The case is being remanded so that it can be submitted to the Director, Compensation and Pension Service, for extra-schedular consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service noise exposure, leading to a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is rated as noncompensable, with no effective date provided.