Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, specifically bilateral hearing loss and residuals of coccyx injury. The claims are denied.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss that is causally related to service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, residuals of a left cheekbone fracture, deviated nasal septum, and chronic sinusitis were denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board found that Hepatitis C was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied the claim.,The right ear hearing loss disability was also not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case due to procedural issues and requests for additional evidence, including VA audiological examination reports and records of any prior VA treatment. The Veteran's appeal will be reconsidered based on this new information.

The Veteran's hearing loss has been rated as non-compensable, and the Board finds that his bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a higher rating based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 20 percent from September 29, 2010 to July 16, 2012. The evaluation is granted.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and service connection for PTSD was also denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD or an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of current disabilities related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the issue of entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected hearing loss. The claims for earlier effective dates for service connection were denied as there is no evidence showing that VA received a claim from the Veteran prior to January 26, 2006.

The Board found no evidence to support service connection for bilateral hearing loss or hepatitis, concluding that the Veteran's current conditions did not manifest due to events in service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, pseudofolliculitis barbae (claimed as acne vulgaris), dermatitis, degenerative joint disease of the right knee, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current hearing loss disability meeting VA criteria.

The VA audiological evaluations have shown that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has remained at levels equivalent to a 20% and 30% disability rating, respectively. The current evidence does not support an increase in his rating.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus had onset in service. The issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded for further development.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, but the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to need for additional development of the medical records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing disability as defined by VA criteria, and there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or service connection for his claimed bilateral hearing loss. As such, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss is not related to his military service, as there was no evidence of hearing loss during or within one year after service. The examiner opined that the hearing loss is less likely due to noise exposure in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, including exposure to noise from combat-related activities in Vietnam. Service connection is granted for both conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for a determination on whether the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his service-connected bilateral high frequency hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his in-service noise exposure.,Service connection was also granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder including adjustment disorder, but the Board found this condition is not due to disease or injury incurred during active service.