Hearing loss decisions — 2012

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and updating records from the Social Security Administration (SSA). The Veteran's claim of entitlement to TDIU is currently pending.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 20 percent prior to May 21, 2008 and increased to 70 percent effective from July 12, 2012.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to obtain federal records and an adequate examination, including Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The case will be readjudicated after any additional records are obtained.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability or in-service injury that would support the claims.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his bilateral hearing loss is denied as the highest possible schedular rating of 10 percent has already been assigned. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and Major Depression, is also denied due to lack of evidence supporting secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his period of service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and inadequate VA examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear injury and hearing loss, as well as his acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA and private clinical documentation, scheduling a VA examination, and readjudicating the claim.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, hearing loss, and tinnitus need further development due to conflicting statements about his military service and alleged stressors.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a head injury, hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD).

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss disability, finding that new and material evidence has been presented. The Veteran is presumed to have incurred these conditions during his active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with the benefit of doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to work.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for further development due to incomplete records and inadequate medical opinions.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disability was not incurred in or aggravated by his active service, and denied all issues of entitlement to service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have hearing loss for VA purposes and therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The issue of an initial compensable disability rating for a scar, status post right knee open reduction surgery, and scars from an old healed fracture of the distal right tibia remains pending.

The Board has determined that there is no current right ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes, and thus service connection cannot be granted.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss in the right ear during service or at present, and denied service connection for right ear hearing loss. For left ear hearing loss, while there is a current diagnosis, the VA examiner concluded that it was not related to service noise exposure. Service connection was also denied for tinnitus.