Hearing loss decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evidence review. The issues include service connection for bilateral knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, cold injury to big toes, and a 10 percent rating for depressive disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and provide a new VA examination due to the potential worsening of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's tinnitus and PTSD have been granted service connection, with a rating of 50 percent for PTSD. The hearing loss claim is pending.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for right hypertropia and bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not establish compensable visual impairment or double vision, nor did it meet the criteria for an increased rating due to incapacitating episodes.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and need for further medical opinions regarding his eye disorder and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete records, including a lack of audiograms from his Army National Guard service. The Veteran is also asked to provide authorization for VA to obtain any additional private treatment records related to his claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability was not incurred or aggravated by active service, as it was noted at entry and there is no evidence of aggravation during service. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely to have had its onset during active duty, and service connection for this condition is granted. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder was not supported by the evidence of record.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not have their onset during service or within one year of separation, nor are they related to his military service. The claims for service connection for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, depression, right shoulder disorder, lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, and chronic headaches. These conditions are presumed to be related to his active duty in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining addendum opinions from private treating physicians and a VA examiner. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered based on the additional evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of right ear hearing loss, and thus cannot establish service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his active service. The right ear hearing loss claim was denied due to lack of evidence showing a relationship between the current condition and service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disorder is found to be related to his in-service exposure to loud noise, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's reported in-service noise exposure is sufficient to establish a link between his current tinnitus and service. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of hearing loss during or within one year after service.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss disability as defined by VA, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability has been rated as noncompensable (0%) prior to March 3, 2011. The evidence does not support a higher rating during this period.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not shown to be related to service, as there is no evidence of symptoms during or immediately following service. The Board finds that the current conditions are not attributable to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, including those from his period of active service in June 2007 to June 2008. The VA will also schedule the Veteran for an updated audiogram and a VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of his hearing loss and perforation of the tympanic membrane of the left ear.