Hearing loss decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to determine his employability due to service-connected disabilities, and the case will be returned to the Board after review.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to assess his bilateral hearing loss and left wrist disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in service, as there was no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during his military service. The VA examiner concluded that it is most likely that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus resulted from post-military aging and/or post-military noise exposure.

The Veteran's right ear sensorineural hearing loss is presumed to have been incurred in active military service due to exposure to loud noise during service.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and no jurisdiction remains for the Board to consider the merits of the claim.

The Board finds that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, as there is no evidence of in-service acoustic trauma or current disability. The Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are more likely due to occupational noise exposure after service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 10 percent effective November 14, 2011. Prior to that date, the rating remained noncompensable.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability is denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including an additional VA examination to assess the functional effects of his bilateral hearing loss on his employment and daily activities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, eye disability (refractive error), right and left knee patellar tendonitis, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and left hip degenerative joint disease. The decision found no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and active military service.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's hearing acuity was found to be at levels II and III in both ears, warranting a non-compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Board denied the claim as there is no evidence of worsening that would justify an increased rating.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is rated as zero percent disabling, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.

The Board has found that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is causally and etiologically related to service. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU is inextricably intertwined with the bilateral hearing loss claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his scar, left index finger, residual of laceration, was granted with a noncompensable rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not caused by or a result of military noise exposure, and thus denied service connection for this condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The evidence now shows that the Veteran experienced noise exposure during his military service, which is considered a direct link to his current conditions of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be attributable to service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is considered to be a current disability incurred in service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the January 2010 and March 2011 VA examination reports. The Board requests an addendum opinion from a VA examiner to determine if the current hearing loss disability is related to in-service noise exposure.