Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and therefore denies his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss rating was reduced from 60 percent to 40 percent, effective June 1, 2011. The TDIU claim is also being remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the March 2009 VA examination is inadequate and requires additional development, including obtaining clarification of the Veteran's National Guard service dates and providing an opinion regarding whether his hearing loss and tinnitus are related to periods of active duty or National Guard service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is shown to have developed as a result of noise exposure during his military service, and the Board finds it at least as likely as not that this condition is related to his service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was found to have been aggravated by his active duty for training (ACDUTRA) service, and thus he is granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service. Service connection was also granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), but with the condition being presumed to have existed prior to service.

The evidence does not establish that the Veteran's current right ear hearing loss is related to his active service, and thus service connection cannot be granted.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance of another/housebound is being remanded due to unclear factual entitlement, including whether any single service-connected disability renders him unemployable or if he qualifies for SMC based on a need for aid and attendance or housebound status.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding new and material evidence. The claims are now pending before the Board.

The Board is remanding the case for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran has lost use of either lower extremity, and whether any bilateral knee, hip, or low back disabilities are proximately due to or aggravated by service-connected lower extremity disabilities. The appeal will be returned to the Board after these determinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, evaluated as Level II in the right ear and Level I in the left ear, does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to incomplete medical opinions. The VA will conduct further examinations and provide a complete rationale for the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the request for a hearing was withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss did not have onset in service or within one year of service and was not caused or permanently aggravated by his active military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim of service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and denied his increased rating claim for residuals of avulsion fracture of the distal metatarsal and hallux valux with Austin bunionectomy of the right foot. The evidence submitted since the July 1997 denial was not new or material.

The Board has granted the Veteran's application to reopen his claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and finds that it is due to noise exposure during active service. The Veteran's current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss disability is therefore service-connected.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no current disability.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder was denied as he did not sustain an injury or disease in service and does not currently have a chronic residual disability of the right knee.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for atrial fibrillation, secondary to PTSD, was denied as there is no evidence that it is related to his service-connected PTSD.,The Veteran's initial disability evaluation for left headaches prior to March 31, 2011, was granted at a 30% rating. However, the claim for an increased rating from March 31, 2011, has not been met.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service, as it more likely resulted from post-service noise exposure. The claim for service connection was therefore denied.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The most probative evidence indicates that his current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board granted a rating of 30 percent for the service-connected recurrent nephrolithiasis, effective October 16, 2007. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is found to be due to his period of active service and service connection was granted. Service connection was also granted for Meniere's syndrome and a left eye disorder.