Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are at least as likely as not related to his in-service noise exposure, resulting in a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for service connection as it is not shown to have been incurred or aggravated by his active military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated as non-compensable prior to October 11, 2011 and increased to 10 percent effective October 11, 2011.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to new evidence received since his last final denial. The claims will be further developed, including obtaining VA treatment records, scheduling examinations, and readjudicating the issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus that is causally related to service. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision. The issue of hepatitis C has been remanded due to lack of STRs and outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing. Service connection claims are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is causally related to his military service, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted, with a 10 percent rating for both conditions effective April 27, 2009. A higher 50 percent rating has also been granted for the bilateral hearing loss as of November 23, 2011.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing at the Las Vegas RO. The issue of entitlement to a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus) do not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment, consistent with his background as a truck driver.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, right ear hearing loss, and left ear hearing loss. The decision also noted that the Veteran was scheduled for a Travel Board hearing but failed to appear.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (asbestosis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus) have rendered him unemployable due to their severity. The Board has determined that he meets the criteria for a TDIU based on his education and occupational experience.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his most recent VA examination did not show any significant change in his hearing compared to previous evaluations.

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

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Right Ear Hearing Loss) do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, as determined by VA medical opinions.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss did not meet the auditory threshold to be considered a disability for VA purposes, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, including a new VA examination to determine the etiology of his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran must be provided with a new VA audiological examination based on all pertinent evidence in the claims file.