Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining relevant medical records and providing an adequate examination for each issue on appeal.

The Veteran's initial noncompensable rating for residual burn scar of the right forearm remains unchanged.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for a right knee disorder, and service connection for a left knee disorder were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of a compensable evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss or service connection for his knee disorders.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the claims of service connection for tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, and whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim for right ear hearing loss.

The Board has denied reopening the claims for service connection for residuals of a back injury, schizoaffective disorder or schizophrenia, and left ear hearing loss disability due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is as likely as not related to his active military service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disorder warrants a 30 percent evaluation, effective June 22, 2006.

The Board found no evidence of a hearing loss disability in the Veteran's service records and determined that his current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his active duty service. The tinnitus was also deemed unrelated to his service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and coronary artery disease, are found to be sufficient to prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. A TDIU rating is granted.

The Veteran's low back disorder is not service-connected and there is no evidence of arthritis or other chronic disease in the initial post-service year. The current degenerative joint and disc disease is not related to the service-connected pes planus with hammertoes, Morton's metatarsalgia, and right hallux rigidus.,The Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed bilateral knee disorder that is attributable to or related to service or etiologically related to the service-connected pes planus with hammertoes, Morton's metatarsalgia, and right hallux rigidus. The Veteran also does not have bilateral hearing loss within VA's definition.,The Veteran's refractive error of the eye was not subject to inservice superimposed disease or injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to inadequate examination and incomplete medical records. The case will be reviewed again with a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss is granted. The issue of increased evaluation for right ear hearing loss remains pending and will be remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of any current hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as whether these conditions are related to service. The Veteran's claims for service connection will be remanded for this purpose.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no nexus between current symptoms and in-service noise exposure.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus. The case will be remanded for an addendum to the March 2009 audiologic examination report.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA audiological examination.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is found to be due to noise exposure during service.,The reduction of the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma rating from 100% to noncompensable effective August 1, 2011 was improper and void.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as new and material evidence has been received. However, these claims are denied on the merits.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and left ankle injury with pes planus were denied as there was no evidence of ankylosis or other conditions warranting a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.