Hearing loss decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case due to missing medical records and the need for further examination. The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to noise exposure during service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are likely due to noise exposure during his active duty.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability. The Veteran's current hearing loss disability is related to his military service, including his exposure to acoustic trauma during active duty.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his VA treatment records and scheduling him for a VA audiological examination to determine the current nature and severity of his service-connected left ear hearing loss and nonservice-connected right ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during service and is related to his active duty, granting service connection for this condition. The decision on bilateral hearing loss will be remanded as requested.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his in-service noise exposure and service connection is granted.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hearing loss of the left ear had its onset in service and is related to his active duty noise exposure. However, there is no evidence of worsening hearing loss during service or within one year post-service, nor is there any competent evidence of a current disability for the right ear recognized as a VA disability. Therefore, service connection is granted for the Veteran's hearing loss of the left ear but denied for the right ear.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have at least as likely as not rendered him unemployable since May 2009, and the Board has determined that the criteria for entitlement to TDIU are met as of October 1, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and updated treatment records.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his active service, and therefore, he is not entitled to service connection for any of these disabilities.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is found to be at least as likely as not due to exposure to hazardous and harmful noise levels during his period of active service, including in connection with combat while serving in the Republic of Vietnam. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to service, with the Board granting service connection for these conditions.,Service connection is granted for a skin condition of the bilateral lower extremities due to Agent Orange exposure or as secondary to PTSD.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disorders are not related to his active military service. The Veteran's claims for these conditions were denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are etiologically related to his active duty experiences, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board found no evidence of a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes and concluded that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to his military service. Therefore, both claims were denied.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability was evaluated at a noncompensable level, as the average pure tone decibel loss did not meet criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a low back disability, right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and recurrent parotitis. The denial is based on the lack of current evidence of these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable under the VA rating schedule, and no higher rating is warranted.