Hearing loss decisions — 2014

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an extraschedular rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence does not support a finding of exceptional or unusual disability.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, which reflects the limitation of motion and associated symptoms. His bilateral hearing loss is also rated at 20 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by his active military service, including in-service noise exposure. The preponderance of evidence did not support a connection to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability due to failure to report for a scheduled VA examination, and found that new and material evidence was not received.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which are currently service-connected.

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

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing medical opinions regarding his claims.

The Board has denied service connection for a neck condition and granted service connection for right ear hearing loss disability.,Service connection is granted for the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability, but his claim of service connection for a neck condition remains pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss disability did not present an exceptional or unusual disability picture at any time during the course of the appeal, and thus a compensable rating is not warranted.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have nerve damage of the right hand related to military service and that any current hearing loss is not attributable to military service.

The Veteran's appeal regarding his increased rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for further development of VA records and audiometric evaluations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service hearing loss or any other disability, and thus denied these claims.

The Veteran's currently-diagnosed bilateral hearing loss is shown to have begun in or had its onset during military service, and the Board finds that service connection for this condition is warranted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his in-service acoustic trauma, and the Board finds that this raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and medical records from his in-service treatment at Great Lakes Naval Hospital. A VA examination will be conducted to determine the nature and etiology of any left thumb disorders, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and scar of the left thumb.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, and bilateral knee disability. The evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for chronic constipation with redundant colon, hemorrhoids, and bilateral hearing loss were denied. The current evaluations are noncompensable.

The claims for service connection for a nervous condition/depression and left ankle injury were not granted, but the claim for bilateral hearing loss was reopened and granted with a 10% rating.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his hearing impairment did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records. The appeal is related to presumptive exposure to herbicides, which may affect his diabetes claim.