Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that it is at least as likely as not that the appellant's tinnitus had its onset during his active service, and thus grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new and material evidence submitted since the May 2010 rating decision.

The case is being remanded for additional medical inquiry and to obtain VA treatment records. The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, increased ratings for knee disorders, and TDIU are also being remanded.

The Veteran's hearing manifested by no more than Level IV hearing acuity in the right ear and Level II hearing acuity in the left ear with minimum speech recognition scores of 76 percent in the right ear and 84 percent in the left ear. The criteria for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss have not been met or approximated.

The Board has determined that service connection is warranted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as the evidence shows it is at least as likely as not that these conditions developed during active duty.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The case is REMANDED for a supplemental opinion or VA examination as specified.

The Veteran's appeal is being returned to the Board for additional development due to inadequate notice of a VA examination and other procedural issues.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, resolving the appeal in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are considered in combination, and the VA audiologist opines that they preclude substantially gainful employment consistent with his high school education and occupational experience as an electrician and Alaska pipeline worker.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus due to service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of a current disability during service or within the applicable presumptive period. The VA examiners have provided opinions based on the lack of documentation of complaints or treatment for these conditions while on active duty.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus due to lack of evidence showing a current disability or in-service incurrence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities and a right knee disability, have been denied. The Veteran does not have diagnosed disabilities that warrant an increased evaluation for recurrent tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to insufficient medical evidence on the combined effect of his service-connected disabilities. A VA examination will be conducted to assess whether he is unemployable due to PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a chronic cough or hypertension during service, and the Veteran did not experience these conditions until years after separation from active duty. There is also no credible evidence linking any current hearing loss to service.,No new evidence was presented to reopen claims for prostate condition and sinusitis.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his audiometric findings did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's disability evaluation schedule.

The Veteran's request for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was remanded due to his failure to report to a scheduled Board hearing. The case is now pending and will be rescheduled.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss was granted, with the effective date being February 17, 2011. The TDIU claim remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is likely related to his military service, and grants service connection for this condition.