Hearing loss decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, arranging for a VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability, and conducting any other necessary development.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and found that the Veteran's current hearing loss is related to his active service. The claim of entitlement to a compensable rating for left ear sensorineural hearing loss is addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Veteran is entitled to service connection for right ear hearing loss and hypertension, as these conditions are related to his military service. Keloids of the chin and scalp and alopecia of the scalp were not shown during service or within one year thereafter.

The Board has denied the claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder, low back disability, headache disorder, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss disability as there is no current evidence of these conditions. The appellant failed to report for multiple scheduled VA examinations.

The Veteran's hearing loss has been no worse than Level I in both ears, resulting in a non-compensable rating.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his active service and the Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran. Therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including an adequate VA examination and consideration of whether extraschedular considerations are warranted.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA and private treatment records related to his bilateral hearing loss and deviated nasal septum residuals.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his treatment records and for readjudication of his increased rating claim for service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the July 2014 VA examination is inadequate and remands the case for further development, including a new opinion from an equally qualified examiner.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss resulted in no worse than Level IV hearing acuity in the right ear and Level IV hearing acuity in the left ear, warranting a 10 percent disability rating.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not meet the criteria for service connection for hearing loss, hypertension, or hepatitis B as his conditions are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to incomplete medical evidence and the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for a VA examination. The issues of service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, skin conditions (idiopathic acquired leukoderma and seborrheic keratosis), and diabetes mellitus are pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a hearing and is unable to proceed without scheduling this hearing.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to noise exposure during his military service, and the Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is at least a 50% likelihood that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus and chronic kidney disease have been granted service connection, but his bilateral hearing loss claim has not. The Veteran is found to have current tinnitus related to active service, and chronic kidney disease that was incurred during service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his active duty. The VA examiners concluded that any current hearing loss or tinnitus is more likely due to post-service occupational noise exposure.