Hearing loss decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD, and there is no evidence linking his current hearing loss to service. The claim for tinnitus was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing on his service connection claims and obtaining a VA examination to assess the current severity of his bilateral inguinal hernia.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not have a direct relationship to his military service, as there is no evidence of worsening during service or a clear etiology for these conditions. The Veteran's pre-existing hearing loss was found not to be aggravated by service, and his tinnitus did not manifest during active duty.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, and finds that new and material evidence has been submitted. The Board grants both claims as the medical evidence is in equipoise regarding whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in relative balance as to whether these conditions are etiologically related to active service.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is found to have its onset in service and the Board finds that it is related to the in-service noise exposure, granting service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for an additional VA examination regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, as the previous opinion was inadequate. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as she failed to report to VA examinations and her claimed conditions are not shown to be related to her military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not etiologically related to his active service, as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a nexus between his current conditions and military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not service-connected and denied his claim for increased rating of right ear hearing loss. The right ear hearing loss disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is service-connected, as it can be linked to his military service due to continuity of symptoms since discharge.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is rated at zero percent, as the audiometric results do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA audiological examination and extraschedular consideration of his TDIU claim.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and an additional VA audiological examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for left ear hearing loss prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's initial claim for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating prior to July 15, 2002, or in excess of 10 percent from July 15, 2002, to March 12, 2007.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 50 percent from August 22, 2008. The Board has granted a higher rating for his service-connected disabilities, which also meets the criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depression, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, meet the percentage requirements for TDIU as they stem from a common etiology. The Board finds that these conditions render him unemployable.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and an increased evaluation for tinnitus were denied. The Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulations, and his tinnitus is already at the maximum schedular rating.