Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected acoustic trauma and concussive noise exposure during his combat service in Vietnam caused or contributed to his current bilateral hearing loss, including sensorineural hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his active military service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding no etiological link between the current hearing loss and the Veteran's military service.

The Board has expanded the claim to include other ear disorders beyond just bilateral hearing loss. The case is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if pre-existing ear conditions were aggravated by military service and whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims due to unclear findings regarding hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as potential issues with service connection.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability was not shown during service and no current disability has been diagnosed by VA standards. The Board finds the evidence does not support a grant of service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not related to his military service. As a result, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not etiologically related to his active service, including as secondary to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss from August 3, 2009 was denied as his audiometric test results did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 60 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his claims for increased ratings for a back disability. The issues of higher initial ratings for the entire time period are still pending.

The Veteran's service-connected right ear hearing loss is currently rated as zero percent disabling, and no higher. The evidence does not support a finding of entitlement to an initial compensable evaluation.

The Veteran's death was attributed to suicide due to his service-connected major depression, which contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to obtain additional records and determine if new and material evidence has been submitted.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal regarding whether a July 1969 administrative decision contained CUE. The claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has been rated as 10 percent disabling since March 2009. The VA examination revealed that the Veteran's right and left ear hearing loss are both Level III, resulting in a noncompensable rating.,There is no evidence of diabetes mellitus being incurred or aggravated by service. The Veteran's initial treatment for diabetes mellitus occurred years after his military service ended.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for all issues, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to review them.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a supplemental opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is etiologically related to noise exposure during his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied an effective date prior to April 21, 2009 for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss as the claim was received on that date and no earlier effective date is warranted.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not shown to have been present in service or at any time thereafter, and the Board finds no evidence of a nexus between his current disabilities and military service.,There is no evidence of chronic tinnitus during service. The Veteran reported experiencing tinnitus for eight years post-service, but there is no documentation of such in service records.