Hearing loss decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's recurrent tinnitus is related to his active service and granted service connection. However, there is no evidence of hearing loss for VA purposes in service or within one year of discharge, nor is there chronicity of symptomatology since service discharge, thus denying service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding whether preexisting right ear hearing loss was aggravated by service. The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is currently pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete medical opinions and outstanding VA records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss will be reconsidered based on the additional evidence.

The Board has ordered the VA to obtain service treatment records from the Veteran's January 2003 to January 2004 period of active service and to provide an expert opinion as to whether his left ear hearing loss disability was caused by events, injuries or disease during active service. The case is now remanded for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to have resulted from noise exposure in service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of the denial of service connection for right ear hearing loss due to withdrawal by the appellant. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for osteoarthritis of the right knee is being remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with all doubts resolved in favor of the Veteran. As such, he is granted service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is found to result from acoustic trauma during service and granted service connection. The issue of an initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and a bilateral hearing loss disability, but the issue of an increased evaluation for PTSD remains pending.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded to obtain additional service records and verify his claimed periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA. The Board will then consider the remaining issues for service connection.

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

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cataracts and macular degeneration on a secondary basis to diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's current conditions are found to be at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss renders him unable to protect himself from daily environmental hazards, necessitating regular aid and attendance. The Board grants special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was increased to a 60 percent evaluation effective May 27, 2011. The adjustment disorder with depressed mood issue remains at 30 percent and the TDIU request is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that his disability does not warrant a higher rating based on the current evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to inadequate development of his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The VA needs to obtain an updated medical opinion addressing whether the Veteran's service-connected conditions render him unable to work.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an initial, noncompensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss was noted at entry into service and is presumed to have existed prior to service. It was not aggravated by military service.,Left ear hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred in service.,Seizure disorder was not diagnosed during the appeal period.,PTSD was not incurred in or aggravated by military service and is not considered a compensable disability for VA purposes.,Tinnitus was not related to service. Lung disability, including granulomatous disease and bilateral pulmonary nodules, was also not related to service and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.,Thoracolumbar spine disability and cervical spine disability are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue, finding that the evidence is in equipoise and thus favoring a grant of service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and granted it, finding that new and material evidence had been submitted.