Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the Veteran meets the criteria for service connection of PTSD due to in-service stressors related to his fear of hostile military activity during his service in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations. The claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is also granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is found to be etiologically related to acoustic trauma sustained in active service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The evidence is in equipoise and warrants service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to acoustic trauma in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, including noise exposure during combat operations. As a result, both conditions have been granted service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for ruptured eardrums, neck condition, and ischemic heart disease as they were not raised in his original claim for bilateral hearing loss. The decision on the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is that it has not been established.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypertension, including as secondary to herbicide exposure (Agent Orange), were granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not have onset during active service, were not caused by an event, injury, or disease in active service, and did not manifest within one year of separation from active service. Therefore, the claims for service connection are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran's tinnitus is related to active service. Service connection for right ear hearing loss was not addressed due to a remand.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to noise exposure during his military service, and thus grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's NOD with respect to the January 2009 rating decision was not timely filed, and thus the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and concussion are denied as untimely. The January 2009 rating decision is considered final.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been evaluated as noncompensable. The appeal for higher ratings is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding the relationship between his current hearing loss and service.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for new VA audiological examination and additional audiogram results.

The Board has determined that there is a reasonable doubt as to whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service. Therefore, the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to inadequate opinions regarding the etiology of his hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as insufficient consideration of his skin disability. Additional examinations and records are needed.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and sleep apnea, which represents a complete grant of the benefits sought on appeal.,Further development is necessary prior to a merits analysis of the Veteran's claim of entitlement to a compensable evaluation for left ear hearing loss and service connection for an ear condition (other than hearing loss).

The VA determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not warrant a compensable disability rating.

The Board has granted service connection for myofascial pain syndrome as secondary to multiple scars, residuals of excision basal cell carcinoma, biopsies, actinic keratosis, and melanoma. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to meet the definition of a disability for VA purposes but the etiology of his ruptured left eardrum is unclear.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss did not have its onset in or is otherwise caused by his in-service noise exposure, and is not secondary to his right ear hearing loss or tinnitus. Therefore, service connection for left ear hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's hearing loss is found to have begun during service and is therefore granted as service connection.