Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for an additional VA examination of his bilateral hearing loss, as it has worsened since the last evaluation.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further examination and consideration of the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and unobtained private medical records. The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or continuity of symptomatology. The examiner opined that the current bilateral hearing loss is not related to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's request for hearings has been addressed, and the case is being remanded due to scheduling conflicts. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus remains under review.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination by a vocational specialist to assess his ability to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities. The claim will also be referred to the Director of Compensation for consideration of an extra-schedular TDIU if he does not meet the scheduler criteria.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his service connection claims, including obtaining STRs and private treatment records.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not have their onset in service, were not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of separation from service, and are not related to service. As such, the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied.

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

The Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure, and the Board has granted service connection for both conditions.

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

The Board has found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, including his in-service noise exposure. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's hearing loss did not manifest during service or within the first year after discharge, and there is no evidence linking his current hearing loss to service. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's hearing loss is more likely due to natural progression of aging rather than noise exposure in service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, primarily PTSD, may render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment. However, the current evidence is insufficient to make a reasoned determination on this issue.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes in either ear, and therefore, her claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is considered to be the result of noise exposure during his military service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a video conference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted it, finding that noise exposure during active military service is etiologically related to the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and otitis externa disabilities do not warrant a compensable rating under VA regulations, thus denying his claims for increased ratings.