Hearing loss decisions — 2013

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for hemorrhoids and bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The Board found no evidence of an increase in the severity of his hearing loss since May 10, 2012, warranting a higher rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty service and thus denied his claim for service connection. For right ear hearing loss, the criteria for a compensable initial rating have not been met.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability did not have its onset in service or within one year of discharge, and it is not otherwise shown to be causally related to his period of active military service. The Board also noted that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability may not be presumed due to noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's income exceeds the maximum threshold for basic eligibility for regular non-service-connected pension benefits. The RO denied his claim of entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining a VA medical opinion regarding his employability and an examination report from February 11, 2013.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is granted as his current diagnosis of sensorineural hearing loss meets the criteria for a chronic disease under 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(a).

The Board found that the Veteran's exposure to noise in service has been conceded, but there is no evidence of current right ear hearing loss for VA purposes. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for eye disability, bronchitis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to lack of evidence supporting these claims. The Veteran was granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but the status of his tinnitus claim is unknown.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was caused by an accidental overdose of painkillers, unrelated to service or a service-connected disability. Therefore, his cause of death is not service-connected.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to noise trauma during active duty for training (ACDUTRA) service, and grants these claims.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The case is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and clarification of private audiogram results.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of any ear injuries and residuals thereof, as well as an evaluation of his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board found no evidence to support a connection between the Veteran's current left ear disability and his military service, including an incident involving gasoline in his ear during Reserve training. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected hearing loss disability from March 19, 2013 is denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is manifested by no more than Level III hearing in both ears, and the disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for non-service-connected disability pension benefits was granted effective June 15, 2006. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for an earlier effective date due to his employment status and medical conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active military service, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional VA audiological examination and consideration of outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hearing loss disability of the right ear had its onset in active service and grants service connection for this condition. The claims for hearing loss disabilities of the left ear and tinnitus are remanded for further development.