Hearing loss decisions — 2014

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his military service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition. The hearing loss claim remains pending as it was not addressed in the remand instructions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss warrants a noncompensable evaluation, as his audiometric test results do not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus and migraine headaches, but denied hearing loss.,Service connection is established for tinnitus as it had its onset during service. Service connection is also established for migraine headaches as they are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not manifest during or within one year of active service and is not shown to have developed as a result of service. As such, service connection for bilateral hearing loss cannot be established.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and seizure disorder were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and it may not be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss was granted, with the effective date being March 7, 2012. The initial rating of 20 percent has been maintained.

The Veteran's service treatment records do not show a diagnosis of or history of heart attack during service. The Board finds no evidence that the Veteran sustained a heart attack in service, and there is no medical evidence linking current heart disability to service.,There is no medical evidence showing that the Veteran had a migraine headache disorder during service or for many years thereafter.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied service connection for low back disability. Bilateral hearing loss is related to exposure to noise during active duty, while the low back disability did not have its onset in service or due to a service-connected condition.

The Board has found that the Veteran's statements and testimony regarding continuity of hearing loss symptoms since service are credible. The VA examiner acknowledged the cause of the Veteran's current hearing loss was unknown, but supported a relationship between his active service exposure to noise and his current condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has been rated at 20 percent since March 25, 2014. The claim for a higher rating prior to that date is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for service connection due to lack of evidence linking his current conditions to his period of honorable military service. The character of discharge from March 1961 to March 1962 period of service is also considered.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable since December 9, 1999. The most recent audiometric evaluations have shown levels of II in both ears, which do not warrant a compensable rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and low back disability did not have their clinical onset in service or are otherwise related to active duty. The VA examination provided no evidence of a nexus between current disabilities and service.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, effective from the date of this decision. The bilateral hearing loss disability remains noncompensable.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of in-service incurrence or continuity of symptoms after service. The Board also found that any current hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, thus denying service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for further development, including a VA opinion on the etiology of his current hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied. He had no more than Level I hearing loss in his right ear and Level II hearing loss in his left ear before July 10, 2012, and has not had more than Level II hearing loss in his right ear and Level VIII hearing loss in his left ear since that date.