Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination for bilateral hearing loss and issuing a Statement of the Case on service connection issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for PTSD, as well as his claim for TDIU were denied. The Veteran does not have right ear hearing loss or tinnitus that is service-connected. His PTSD was rated at 30% prior to November 17, 2011, but the Board found no evidence of a higher rating due to occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability was found to be incurred or aggravated in service, and the Board granted service connection for this condition. The claim of service connection for migraine headaches is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes, but he is shown to have current tinnitus. The exposure to loud noise in service supports a finding of service connection.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed disabilities and whether they are related to his military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss disability for purposes of establishing service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for clarification of the issues on appeal, including proper characterization of the right ear hearing loss issue. Additional development may be required to obtain private treatment records and determine if a claim for service connection has been raised.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and diabetes mellitus. The case must be remanded to obtain the Veteran's personnel records and a private medical record from Dr. Mark Frattali in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was reopened and granted, with the Board finding that his tinnitus is related to military service.,Service connection was also granted for tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is related to military noise exposure and resolving reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is at least as likely as not related to his military service, including exposure to noise during service. As such, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's hearing acuity has not been shown to meet the criteria for a compensable rating at any time during the appeal period.

The Board found that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss did not have its onset during active service and is not related to an in-service disease, event, or injury.

The Board has remanded the case to consider a September 2009 VA audiometric examination report and any additional evidence added to the record.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a back disorder. The case will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Board has found that additional development is required before the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability can be decided. The case is REMANDED to obtain medical records, schedule a VA examination, and readjudicate the claim.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a threshold shift during service. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were more likely due to occupational noise from construction work after service.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability related to the Veteran's right great toe injury in service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been withdrawn by the appellant prior to a decision being made.