Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting right and left ear hearing loss disabilities were aggravated by acoustic trauma during military service, allowing for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of his hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus and hearing loss do not meet the criteria for vocational rehabilitation under Chapter 31 of Title 38 due to lack of an employment handicap.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for tinnitus and left ear hearing loss disability were denied as there is no legal basis to assign a rating in excess of the current 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and degenerative arthritis of the spine, are found to affect his ability to engage in substantially gainful employment. The case is REMANDED for further development.

The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to VA medical treatment in 1966 are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from the July 2008 VA neurosurgeon and confirming that there are no outstanding VA treatment records pertinent to his claims.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess his employability considering all of his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss and also denied his attempt to reopen a previously denied claim of service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the inadequacy of the current VA examination. The examiner did not adequately address the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and post-service symptoms.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions have been denied multiple times. New evidence submitted since previous decisions is not considered new and material, thus the applications to reopen are denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD. Specifically, a VA examination with a psychologist or psychiatrist is required to determine whether his claimed stressors are sufficient to support a diagnosis of PTSD, and an audiological examination is necessary to assess the nature and etiology of his hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and respiratory disability are remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran currently suffers from bilateral hearing loss as a result of noise exposure during his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ear hearing loss disability, but the claim of service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability is being remanded due to inadequate opinion in the June 2010 VA examination.

The Board has found that the Veteran incurred a skin condition of the face, neck and mouth in service. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, right shoulder disability, and hearing loss, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining specific clinical findings from VA audiological evaluations and records from Mountain Home VA Medical Center.

The Board found that the appellant's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to the reduction of the rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss and the TDIU claim. The Veteran is scheduled for hearings regarding these matters.

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