Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Board found no evidence of a right ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes and concluded that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is less likely related to service. The claim for service connection for the left ear hearing loss was granted, but not for the right ear.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss with nerve damage and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his military service, including during reserve duty. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of hearing loss or tinnitus until many years after discharge from service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his in-service noise exposure, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to exposure to acoustic trauma in service.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disability because the Veteran did not meet the schedular criteria for TDIU before January 27, 2004 and there was no evidence that he was unemployable solely due to his right leg condition.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, along with his other disabilities, renders him unemployable due to the severity of his symptoms and inability to work in a competitive environment.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been presented to reopen the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus. The evidence submitted does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate these claims.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional treatment records from VA Medical Centers in Kansas City, Missouri, and Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing impairment is due to in-service loud noise exposure. The claim is considered a direct service connection case as there was no presumption of service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including an examination to assess the severity of his service-connected left ear hearing loss and perforated tympanic membrane disabilities. The claims for increased ratings will be addressed together.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a cardiovascular condition, and blood clots. The right ankle disability claim was not addressed as it pertained to revision of an August 1989 rating decision on CUE in failing to adjudicate a right ankle disability claim.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are due to noise exposure during his military service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the claim.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have hearing loss as defined by VA regulation, and thus denied his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active service, as there is no evidence of in-service hearing loss or tinnitus. The VA examiner found that the current conditions are less likely than not due to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been evaluated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period, with puretone thresholds consistently below levels that would warrant a compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, with consideration given to the benefit of the doubt doctrine.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as she did not meet the criteria for a disability under VA regulations. Her PCOS claim is addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision and is REMANDED to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC).