Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new and material evidence was submitted. The claim for tinnitus is granted as it had its onset during active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with no indication of intercurrent causes. As such, these conditions have been granted service connection.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need to locate a May 2004 private hearing examination referenced in the April 2010 VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure, thus granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's current left ear hearing loss is not considered to be related to his military service, as there was no evidence of hearing impairment during or immediately following service. The VA examiner concluded that the current hearing loss did not result from in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's disability rating for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was reduced from 60 percent to 20 percent effective March 1, 2012. The appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss existed prior to service and worsened during service, warranting service connection.

The Board has granted a higher rating for the Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease with back strain, diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities, but denied a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability has been evaluated at a 10 percent rating since March 2006. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increased rating, as the Veteran had no worse than Level V hearing acuity in the left ear and Level III hearing acuity in the right ear during the appeal period.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated as Level III prior to June 12, 2013 and Level IV thereafter. The claim for higher ratings is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the evidence does not show that his disability has worsened since his last examination in May 2012.

The Board has found no evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The Veteran's post-operative residuals of a bilateral epididymectomy have also not been rated higher than noncompensable.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity and functional effects of his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not have onset during active service, were not caused by an event, disease, or injury during active service, and are not related to any in-service noise exposure. As a result, the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination findings and new evidence needs to be obtained. The Veteran's hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension claims are being reviewed.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as his current level of hearing acuity does not meet the criteria for any higher evaluation under VA's rating schedule.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence supports a link between these conditions and in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's hearing is manifested by no more than Level I hearing acuity bilaterally, and the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 0 percent for bilateral hearing loss disability have not been met.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to active service and the Board has granted entitlement to service connection for tinnitus. The issue of bilateral hearing loss is addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.