Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Veteran's combined rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is sufficient to meet the criteria for a TDIU, as these disabilities are considered one disability due to common etiology. The Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim.

The Board has remanded the case back to the AOJ for initial consideration of new evidence and argument submitted by the Veteran, including a VHA opinion on the cause of his claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining an examination to assess his employability and considering whether all of his service-connected disabilities render him unemployable.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his active military service.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not considered to be related to service, as it pre-existed military service and did not worsen therein. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have right ear hearing loss or tinnitus that are the result of disease or injury incurred in or aggravated during active military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA audiology examination and review of post-service medical records. The issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains on appeal.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is related to his period of service. The Board has granted service connection for this condition, and the issue of whether conductive hearing loss may also be service-connected with his current claim for residuals of his right ear cholesteatoma and mastoidectomy will be addressed in a separate remand.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not manifest during service and is not causally related to noise exposure during service. As a result, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his bilateral hearing loss and determining whether he is unemployable due to this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is related to exposure to acoustic trauma during active service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and gastrointestinal disorder (other than IBS) to include as secondary to PTSD. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is considered aggravated by service, while his left ear hearing loss is deemed a current disability incurred in service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he claims are related to noise exposure during active military service. The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the current existence of these conditions and their relationship to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are all service-connected. The initial rating for GERD remains at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have PTSD due to a lack of verified in-service stressor. The VA examination did not find current bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus, and the Veteran denied experiencing these conditions during service.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to service for the bilateral ankle and knee conditions. The Veteran's assertions regarding symptoms since service were not supported by medical evidence or opinion.

The Veteran's lung disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee disorder, left shoulder disorder, and diabetes mellitus, Type II were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board found no evidence of a current disability for any of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left ankle disability, right knee disability, and thumb disabilities. The VA examinations did not find a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a diagnosis within one year post-service. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his in-service noise exposure. The claimant's lay statements and medical evidence support this conclusion.