Hearing loss decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased rating have been withdrawn. The Board has also determined that the Veteran is entitled to a 40 percent disability rating for his urethra stricture, chronic urethritis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to address the nature and extent of his hearing loss, headache disorder, and temporomandibular joint disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not currently suffer from hearing loss as defined by VA, and thus service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his active duty service, granting the claims for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, a bilateral leg disorder, a back disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus was set at July 23, 2012.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current tinnitus is not etiologically related to active service, including as a result of in-service noise exposure. The weight of the competent and credible evidence does not support a finding of relationship between the Veteran's current tinnitus and service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be as likely as not related to his active service, including exposure to noise during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and needs further examination to determine if the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus disabilities for VA purposes, and therefore denied service connection for these conditions. However, the Board found in favor of the Veteran on his claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding it at least as likely as not related to military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA audiological examination and obtaining an addendum opinion from the May 2011 VA examiner regarding his service connection claim for vertigo. The case will also be readjudicated to determine if referral for extraschedular evaluation of hearing loss is warranted.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, nor did any such disability hasten his death.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been withdrawn. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's back disability and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address his claims of service connection for various conditions, including a left shoulder condition, right and left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and GERD. The VA will need to obtain updated treatment records, arrange for appropriate examinations, and provide an opinion regarding the relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus has been assigned a 10 percent evaluation, the maximum authorized under Diagnostic Code 6260. The disability does not present an exceptional picture so as to warrant referral for extra-schedular consideration.

The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing left ear hearing loss was not aggravated by his military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be etiologically related to acoustic trauma sustained in active service, resulting in a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that it is etiologically related to in-service noise exposure. The lung disability claim remains pending as the appropriate diagnosis and nexus have not been fully addressed.

The Veteran's diabetes, eye disorder, lung disorder (bronchitis), sinus disorder, and right ear hearing loss were not found to be related to his active duty service.,However, the Veteran was granted service connection for right ear hearing loss due to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran withdrew the appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss.