Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, as there is no evidence of chronic symptoms in service or within one year after separation. The weight of the evidence does not support a finding of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and did not grant any higher initial evaluation for tinnitus. The effective date of the award of service connection for tinnitus remains August 19, 2002.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected left ear hearing loss disability prior to January 30, 2013. The issue of service connection for a cervical spine disability was also addressed but not adjudicated.

The Board finds that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military noise exposure, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his period of active duty service and the claim for service connection is granted. The issue of a compensable disability evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Board found no evidence of a hearing loss disability in service or within one year post-service, and the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military noise exposure. Therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board determined that the Veteran's current right shoulder arthritis and tendonitis, hearing loss disability, and tinnitus are not related to service.,Service connection was denied for all three conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an initial compensable rating for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and for further medical evaluation of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for aphasia has been granted. The Board finds that the current evidence is sufficient to establish an etiological link between the in-service claymore mine explosion and the Veteran's current aphasia.

The Board finds that the Veteran currently has a right ear hearing loss disability and was exposed to noise during service. The medical evidence is in equipoise as to whether his current right ear hearing loss is related to military noise exposure, thus granting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to determine if he was entitled to a TDIU prior to August 24, 2006 based on his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his employability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including decreased vision, headaches, back disorder, sterility and erectile dysfunction, hypertension, skin disorder, nail fungus, and recurrent hemorrhoids are denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to noise exposure during military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, sleep apnea, and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's claim for increased rating for bilateral flat feet was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability renders him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus meeting the criteria for TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are related to his active service, including exposure to noise. As a result, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss prior to March 14, 2013 was denied. The claim for a rating higher than 40 percent since March 14, 2013 was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was not shown during service or for many years thereafter, and there is no competent evidence linking this disability to service. The Veteran currently wears hearing aids in both ears.,On the other hand, the Veteran reported experiencing tinnitus since his military service, and a VA examination confirmed current tinnitus. There is credible evidence indicating that the Veteran's tinnitus began during service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is due to noise exposure during his military service, and grants service connection for this condition. However, there is no evidence of a right ear hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes.