Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a temporary total disability rating based on the need for convalescence following surgical treatment of his lumbar spine are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and conducting new VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been remanded due to the failure to schedule a BVA hearing. The case will be handled in an expeditious manner.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral high frequency hearing loss does not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable evaluation under VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes and therefore, service connection cannot be granted. The claim for tinnitus is also denied as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a current disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and lumbar spine disorder are not service-connected as they were not incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, high frequency hearing loss, and right ear tinnitus do not render him unemployable due to his disabilities. The VA examinations indicate that the Veteran is capable of performing the physical and mental acts required by employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his military service, specifically his exposure to acoustic trauma during active duty. As a result, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence showing the conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes and therefore, service connection is denied. For his left wrist disability claim, the Board finds that an examination was conducted but further development is needed as the examiner did not address whether the claimed condition is related to service.

The Veteran's appeal of the May 2005 rating decision was found to be timely, and as a result, all underlying claims for service connection are now considered granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of concussive syndrome are not shown to meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and adjustment disorder with depressed mood. The reduction of the rating from 100% to 40% was upheld, but the initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for depression prior to March 30, 2011, and the evaluation in excess of 30 percent after that date were denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his SSA award letter and employment history information. A VA examination will be scheduled to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to work.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining outstanding VA treatment records. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's bilateral eye disorder is rated at 20 percent effective July 13, 2010. The claim for increased rating prior to this date remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence of a claim prior to February 22, 2007.,Both conditions were found to be related to service, but the earliest possible effective date is the date the Veteran filed his claims on February 22, 2007.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of essential tremor and right ear hearing loss, as VA examinations are required to address these issues. The Veteran seeks service connection for both conditions, but a thorough review of his medical records and an expert opinion will be necessary to determine if they are related to his military service.