Hearing loss decisions — 2014

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

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to April 11, 2014, and a subsequent increased rating in excess of 10 percent thereafter are not supported by the evidence.

The Veteran's audiometric examination shows no more than a level I hearing for both ears, corresponding to a noncompensable disability rating under the applicable VA rating criteria. The Board finds that there is no evidence of an exceptional or unusual disability picture warranting extra-schedular consideration.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, dysthymic disorder, major depression, and depressive disorder, was denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was also denied. The Veteran's current left ear hearing loss is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to his active military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a Travel Board hearing and obtaining additional medical records. The issues of entitlement to a higher initial rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for labyrinthitis are both being addressed.

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 acoustic trauma and noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and lack of consideration of certain evidence, including affidavits from the Veteran's service comrade, co-worker, and brother.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and initial rating for lateral epicondylitis of the right elbow were denied. The Board found no evidence of right ear hearing loss during the pendency of this claim, and denied service connection for this condition. For lateral epicondylitis, the Board noted that while there was some limitation of motion, it did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's rating schedule.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current left ear sensorineural hearing loss disability is likely due to his exposure to noise during active duty, including service in Vietnam. Therefore, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease. The Board finds that the most probative evidence does not support a finding of continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not related to his military service or his service-connected tinnitus, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to active service and the Board finds that service connection for tinnitus is warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure, thus granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as he withdrew his claims for increased ratings of PTSD and TDIU. The claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to October 18, 2010 remains before the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as he does not have current bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes. The claims for dermatitis and a scalp condition are remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Veteran does not have a diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, related to service.,There is no evidence of a current right ankle disorder.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no nexus between his current hearing loss and active duty.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, with the RO finding that his hearing impairment did not meet or approximate criteria for a higher evaluation. The skin disorder issue remains unresolved.