Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a Board videoconference hearing. The case will be forwarded to the Board for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a video conference hearing. The issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder) are pending.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss as aggravation of a pre-existing condition, and service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's current hearing loss disability is presumed based on in-service noise exposure, while his tinnitus is presumed due to its onset during service.

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

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his period of service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and right ear hearing loss were denied, as there is no competent and credible evidence establishing current disabilities. The Veteran's claim of an increased rating for PTSD was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's preexisting conditions were aggravated by his military service. The lung plaque condition is not found to be related to service or asbestos exposure.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for PTSD and granted service connection for PTSD. The claim of entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss was not reopened.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus is causally related to noise exposure during military service. The issue of bilateral hearing loss remains pending and will be addressed in a separate remand.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have had its onset in service and the Board finds that it is at least as likely as not related to noise exposure during active duty. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection, with the right ear hearing loss being due to active service. The Veteran's tinnitus has not resulted in a schedular evaluation higher than 10%.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of the appellant's hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as whether they are related to his periods of active duty for training or inactive duty for training.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding whether there is a relationship between service and the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. Therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, specifically noise exposure during active duty. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a cancelled VA examination, and now requires additional evidence and an opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not present during service or for many years thereafter and is not otherwise etiologically related to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has ordered additional development due to incomplete VA records and referred the case for extraschedular consideration. The Veteran's TDIU rating is being remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including VA examinations and obtaining updated medical records.