Hearing loss decisions — 2012

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining medical records to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed low back disability and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for a total disability rating and for DEA benefits. The case has been remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability during the relevant period.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to determine his ability to work due to service-connected disabilities, and for further adjudication.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus must be remanded to obtain a VA examination, as the current opinion is inadequate. The examiner should provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's conditions had their clinical onset during active service or are related to any in-service disease, event, or injury.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss has been rated as 10 percent disabling since November 1981. The most recent VA examination in January 2009 showed Level II hearing loss in the right ear and Level I hearing loss in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable rating under Table VII of the Rating Schedule.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the relationship of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus to service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the etiology of his skin disorders and hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for clarification of a private medical report and for another VA examination addressing the impact of his hearing loss on daily functioning.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for the issues of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for hemorrhoids and service connection for a bilateral hip disorder, bilateral knee disorder, low back disorder, right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, a bilateral eye disorder, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, and chloracne.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is rated as 10 percent disabling, the maximum schedular rating available.,Tinnitus has been assigned a 10 percent rating, which is the maximum schedular evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's accounts of experiencing tinnitus from active service forward are credible and consistent with his military occupational specialty. Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated as mild to moderately severe on the right and mild to severe on the left, resulting in a 10% evaluation. The Board found that his hearing impairment did not warrant an evaluation above 10 percent.

The VA determined that the Veteran's pre-existing bilateral hearing loss was not aggravated by service and therefore could not be presumed to have been incurred or aggravated during service.

The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including anxiety reaction with a history of PTSD and multiple physical impairments, render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board grants the TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hearing acuity did not meet VA standards for hearing loss disability at any time during the appeal period, and thus service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, left hand arthritis, right hand arthritis, left knee arthritis, and right knee arthritis were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of active disease or residual impairment from malaria, and the Veteran did not provide sufficient evidence to establish a nexus between his current disabilities and military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA examinations and Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are etiologically related to his active service, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.