Hearing loss decisions — 2014

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss disability. The issue of entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for right testicle scar, residual of right hydrocele removal and orchiopexy is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus Type II based on presumed exposure to herbicides in the Republic of Vietnam. Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not found to be related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability is not shown to be productive of worse than Level I hearing acuity in the right ear or Level II hearing acuity on the left.,For the period prior to October 25, 2013, the service-connected DDD of the cervical spine was shown to have a combined range of motion of the cervical spine not greater than 170 degrees at its most limited.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss and determined that new evidence supports this reopening. The Veteran's pre-existing hearing loss was aggravated by his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and VA audiometric examination reports. The Veteran's claims of entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and an effective date earlier than November 27, 2006 for the award of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was rated at 10 percent prior to February 23, 2010 and increased to 80 percent effective February 22, 2012.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied. The Board found the VA examinations inadequate, but a new examination did not provide sufficient rationale to support a decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing acuity does not warrant a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss under any applicable diagnostic code.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not render him unemployable due to his disabilities, as he has maintained employment for over 38 years without any reported issues related to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination and further clarification is needed regarding the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal for initial compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss and left shoulder disabilities was dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing from appeal his claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical opinions and treatment records, as well as a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and right knee disorder are all granted. The Board found that the Veteran had current diagnoses of tinnitus but not bilateral hearing loss or a right knee disorder.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim for service connection for a left elbow disability and granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss.,Service connection is now established for bilateral hearing loss, as the Veteran currently meets the VA criteria for this condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran did not have a bilateral hearing loss disability or tinnitus during his lifetime, and thus cannot establish service connection for these conditions. The evidence does not indicate any current myelodysplastic syndrome or vertigo related to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise on whether these conditions are related to active military service. The psychiatric disorder claim remains pending as it was not addressed by the RO.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's tinnitus is related to noise exposure in service, while his left ear hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a disability as defined by VA regulations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus. The case has been remanded due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of his current hearing loss conditions.