Hearing loss decisions — 2014

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and obstructive sleep apnea prior to a decision by the Board. The case is dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and denied the other two issues on appeal. The Veteran's PTSD is found to be related to a reported incident of military sexual trauma (MST) during service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the cases are dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, arranging for a VA examination to determine the severity of the Veteran's cervical spine disability and forehead scar, and obtaining an addendum opinion from the April 2012 VA audiological examiner regarding the nature and etiology of his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for further examination. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, gonococcic urethritis, and an increased rating for ischemic heart disease are pending.

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

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and dental trauma. The evidence does not support a current diagnosis of tinnitus or establish that these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran withdrew the appeal of his increased initial evaluation for bilateral hearing loss prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination.

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

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was denied as there is no evidence that he filed a formal or informal application to reopen his claims prior to May 6, 2011.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss has been evaluated as noncompensable under the rating criteria, and no higher evaluation is warranted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for another VA examination to determine if his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, specifically exposure to loud noises as an artilleryman.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from the VA examiner and requesting additional medical records.

The Board found that the Veteran's preexisting bilateral hearing loss did not increase in severity during service and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. For tinnitus, the Board concluded there was no evidence of a nexus between the condition and service.

The Veteran's initial claim for service-connected bilateral hearing loss was granted with a noncompensable rating effective September 28, 2006. From March 6, 2012, the Veteran is rated at 20 percent for his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as there was no medical opinion linking the appellant's current condition to his military service. The preponderance of the evidence is against the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral hearing loss and whether it is proximately due to or aggravated by service-connected tinnitus and Eustachian tube dysfunction.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, seizure disorder, and diabetes mellitus were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not shown to be related to his military service, and the Board finds that it more likely than not did not begin during or as a result of his active duty.