Hearing loss decisions — 2014

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development, including a VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran died in January 2008 from congestive heart failure. His service-connected disabilities did not cause his death.,The appellant seeks DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318, but the claim is denied as there was no qualifying disability rating for at least ten years immediately preceding death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes and whether he has a current hearing loss disability. The issues on appeal are related to service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and review of records. The issues are whether he has bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus that are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected PTSD and to determine if his bilateral hearing loss is related to military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and post-service medical records. The Veteran will also be scheduled for VA examinations to assess his hearing loss, back disability, and left hand and wrist disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is likely due to noise exposure during his active service and subsequent National Guard service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are related to noise exposure during his service in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, eye condition, and peripheral neuropathy of all four extremities due to issues with evidence and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board found that the Veteran's preexisting bilateral hearing loss did not increase in severity during service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability, and the Board finds that his claimed condition does not meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is considered a disability and has been determined to be causally related to his military service. The Board finds the evidence in equipoise, allowing for the application of the benefit of the doubt rule.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service exposure to loud noise, including from helicopter engines and transmissions. The decision grants service connection for both conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not manifest within one year of his separation from service, and there is no medical evidence showing a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service. The VA examinations conducted found no nexus between current hearing loss and tinnitus and service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is service-connected, but his bilateral hearing loss is not considered to be related to active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and hearing loss has been reopened, but the claims are still pending. The Veteran needs to provide verification of his claimed stressors for PTSD and a VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of his left fibula fracture.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, joint disease, and a right hip disability. The evidence did not establish an in-service event, injury, or disease related to these conditions.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss, which he claims was caused by noise exposure during his active military service. The case has been remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional medical records.