Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a left ear hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes and denied his claim of service connection for this condition. The issues of entitlement to service connection for hearing loss of the right ear, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) are remanded due to in-service stressor verification.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not related to his active service, and therefore denied service connection for this condition. The claim for tinnitus remains pending as an addendum opinion is required.

Service connection for a low back condition has been granted, and the Veteran is entitled to a higher initial rating for tinnitus.,The Veteran's right ear hearing loss claim was denied due to lack of hearing loss for VA purposes. He is seeking an initial compensable rating for his left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right leg disorder, including degenerative arthritis of the right hip, has been reopened and is granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened and is granted.

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 service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of his current hearing loss and incomplete medical records. The case will be further reviewed after obtaining additional information.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any current bilateral hearing loss disability, as well as whether the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his service. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule examinations for her claimed disabilities. The AOJ will also review the claims based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, TBI residuals, migraines, vertigo, cervical disorder, and shoulder disorders have been granted. However, the claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD remains denied.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as his auditory acuity levels do not meet the criteria for an initial compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 6100.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or in-service acoustic trauma. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current disability of right ear hearing loss, but has a current disability of left ear hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to address the etiology of his current conditions, as well as consideration of lay statements regarding the onset of his symptoms.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus disability that is related to service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for PTSD and found that new and material evidence had not been received. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was also denied as there is no competent medical evidence showing a link between current hearing loss and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss is related to his active service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for new VA examination and treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to deficiencies in a previous VA examination and because of outstanding private treatment records. The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder and bilateral hearing loss do not render him unemployable due to his disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service noise exposure, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria.