Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, effective the date his claim was received. His bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus claims remain pending.

The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling of VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is etiologically related to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and grants service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The Board has remanded the claims for a lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus to be reviewed by a Decision Review Officer (DRO) due to the Veteran's request for de novo review. The PTSD claim is also being remanded for DRO review.

The Veteran experienced acoustic trauma during service and has current right ear hearing loss. However, the evidence does not show chronic symptoms of right ear hearing loss in service or continuous symptoms since service separation.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent prior to December 2, 2014 and 50 percent thereafter. The Board has also granted service connection for left nephrectomy and uterectomy, sterility, and hypertension on a new-and-material basis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disorders were denied. The claim for a temporary total convalescent rating for right knee patellofemoral arthritis was also denied.

The Board found that a current thoracolumbar spine disability was not present until many years after separation from active duty and is unrelated to service. The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were also determined to be unrelated to service.

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

The Veteran's death was not due to his own willful misconduct, and he had a service-connected disability rated as totally disabling for at least one year immediately preceding his death. However, the Veteran did not meet the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been shown to prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and dizziness associated with his left ear acoustic neuroma had its clinical onset during a period of active service. Therefore, the appeal for service connection is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss existed prior to his active duty service and was not aggravated by service, thus denying the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not make him permanently bedridden or unable to care for his daily needs without requiring the regular aid and attendance of another person. The Veteran does not have a single service-connected disability rated at 100 percent with separate service-connected disabilities ratable at 60 percent or better, nor is he permanently confined to his immediate premises as a result of service-connected disabilities. Therefore, the criteria for SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person or by reason of being housebound have not been met.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss was noted at the time of his entry into service and did not worsen during his active duty, thus denying service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Board videoconference hearing. The issues of service connection and rating for various conditions are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine if his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, including in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is determined to be the result of noise exposure during active military service, and therefore service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to service, and therefore denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. No service connection decisions were made for the claimed conditions.