Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for reopening his service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no new and material evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a vocational rehabilitation specialist opinion regarding his ability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are currently rated at 10 percent each, with no higher ratings warranted due to the application of the rating criteria. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating or separate schedular ratings for each ear.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his military service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with noise exposure being the primary factor.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted. The claim for right ear hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 24, 2010 for a 10% evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is denied as the earliest possible effective date has already been assigned.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bursitis of the left shoulder, cervical spine arthritis, tinnitus, post-traumatic stress disorder, and bilateral hearing loss, do not render him unemployable.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied, as the evidence did not meet the criteria for such benefits at the time of his death.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus between these conditions and active military service.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a chronic foot disability, bilateral hearing loss, back disability (including arthritis), deviated tracheobronchial tree, or chronic body pain condition during service. The Veteran's current diagnoses are not linked to his military service.

The Veteran's cervical strain and right shoulder strain have been granted initial ratings, but his bilateral hearing loss disability remains unresolved due to a lack of a statement of the case.

The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at the maximum allowable under VA regulations, and his neck disability has been assigned a noncompensable rating. His bilateral hearing loss claim was not addressed as it may be encompassed by other claims.

The Board found that the Veteran did not sustain a disease or injury of the bilateral ears in service, and symptoms of hearing loss were not chronic during active service. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied as they do not meet the criteria.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new and material evidence. However, these claims are being remanded for further development as the VA examination report is inadequate.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability. The case is remanded for further development, including a VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss warranted a noncompensable evaluation, as his audiometric test results did not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on the VA rating schedule.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding it likely related to the Veteran's military service and specifically his exposure during the Gulf War. The effective date remains pending as further development is needed.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may sensorineural hearing loss be presumed to have been incurred in service.,Giving the benefit of the doubt to the Veteran, his tinnitus was incurred in active military service.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum available rating under VA regulations.