Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a DRO hearing at the Muskogee, Oklahoma location.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining audiometric test results and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's condition is related to service exposure to noise.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new evidence does not establish a direct link to service.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, including whether they are related to service exposure to excessive noise.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his service, including exposure to noise from working with jet engines. As a result, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo and an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher disability rating for either condition.

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

The Veteran's hearing loss disability has been rated as noncompensable based on the results of multiple VA examinations, which consistently indicated Level I or III hearing loss in both ears.

The Board found that a left ear hearing loss disability was not present during military service or for several decades thereafter and there is no competent evidence of record otherwise linking it to an incident of service origin, including acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a left ankle disability have been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities.

The Board has determined that the appellant's bilateral hearing loss was aggravated during service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of hypertension, sleep apnea, and a neck disability. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was also denied as it did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent from November 21, 2003, but his TDIU claim remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted, and he was assigned a 10 percent evaluation for his right knee strain. The other issues related to the Veteran's conditions have also been resolved in his favor.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for appropriate VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral hearing loss and service-connected right hand disability. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence and opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus began in service and is related to noise exposure, thus granting service connection for tinnitus. The claim for bilateral hearing loss remains pending as there are insufficient findings regarding its etiology.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, urinary incontinence associated with degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, hypertensive heart disease, patellar subluxation of both knees, and bilateral hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that his service-connected disabilities meet the criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for service-connected hearing loss from September 3, 2013. The Veteran's tinnitus and Meniere's disease were not found to be related to his military service or herbicide exposure. Service connection was also denied for the skin condition.

The Veteran's disability rating for bilateral hearing loss was reduced from 50 percent to zero percent effective August 1, 2012. The reduction is based on improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life.