Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Board denied service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss was more likely due to aging rather than military service. Service connection for PTSD was also denied as there is no diagnosis conforming to DSM-IV criteria.

The Board found that the Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his military service, including noise exposure. The claim for service connection for residuals of a back injury was remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and providing an audiologist with the necessary information to determine if his current hearing loss conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not caused by or aggravated by his service, including exposure to noise from aircraft engines and a mortar attack in Vietnam. The Board found the Veteran's claims for these conditions to be denied.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus that is causally related to service. Therefore, the claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his hearing acuity does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss was rated at 20 percent prior to May 21, 2012 and remains at that level as of May 21, 2012. The current rating is the highest possible under VA regulations.

The Veteran's bilateral knee degenerative joint disease is found to have worsened during a period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and this worsening was caused by the ACDUTRA. The Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for cervical spondylosis, pain in right and left arms (secondary to cervical spondylosis), and bilateral hearing loss. The Board found that these conditions were not related to his active service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that new and material evidence supports a relationship between his current hearing loss and his military service. The Board also found in favor of granting service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board found no evidence of a hearing disability in service or for many years thereafter, and concluded that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his period of active duty.

The Veteran's hearing loss is likely the result of acoustic trauma during his service in Vietnam, and he has provided credible testimony regarding a continuity of symptoms since service. The Board finds that the criteria for service connection have been met.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran does not have a chronic right arm disability or left ear hearing loss that is related to active service. The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine DDD has been evaluated as 20 percent disabling.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the impact of his service-connected conditions on his employability.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not related to his military service, as evidenced by a normal hearing test at discharge and no significant occupational noise exposure. The Board concluded that the hearing loss is more likely due to natural aging rather than in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 10% prior to June 12, 2012 and at 30% from that date. The Board found the evidence did not support a higher rating for any period on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been evaluated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period, with the most recent VA examination showing average puretone thresholds of 52 decibels in the right ear and 59 decibels in the left ear. These findings do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for these conditions as there is no evidence of a current disability during or following his military service.