Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his hearing acuity levels did not meet the criteria for any higher evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is caused by noise exposure during his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for asbestosis with an effective date of August 17, 2009. The Veteran's claim was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence since his prior denial in July 2012.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of current disabilities within one year of separation from service. The Veteran's current conditions are considered to be related to his civilian occupations rather than military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis and lumbar spine hypertrophic osteoarthritis did not meet the criteria for higher ratings, while the left ear hearing loss was rated at its maximum allowable level of Level I impairment. PTSD met the criteria for a 70 percent rating prior to December 12, 2011, but from that date forward, it did not warrant an increased rating beyond 30 percent. The GERD and hiatal hernia with gallbladder disease were rated at their maximum allowable level of 10 percent.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a hearing disability within one year after separation from service, and the current condition does not meet VA criteria for a disability.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability rated at 50 percent is not of sufficient severity to render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including scheduling VA examinations to address the nature and etiology of his low back disability and the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has withdrawn the appeal of service connection for mood disorder. The claims for new and material evidence for hearing loss and residuals of head injury have been granted, and service connection is established for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. Service connection is not established for left knee disability or jaw disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes, and thus service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to address the relationship between current hearing loss and tinnitus and in-service noise exposure, as well as an evaluation of whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to noise trauma in service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, specifically bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claims are therefore denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA audiological examination. The issues of entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss and a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss are intertwined and must be addressed together.

The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss as defined by VA regulations, and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated as Level III in both ears, resulting in a non-compensable disability rating. The VA examiner found that the improvement in his hearing after debridement did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the appellant's character of discharge is a bar to VA benefits, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected disabilities, including psychiatric disability, asthma, hemorrhoids, Morton's neuroma, sinusitis, hypertension, right and left shoulder disabilities, a right knee disability, otitis media, rhinitis, costochondritis, GERD, headaches, and left testicle epididymitis. The Veteran does not have hearing loss as defined by VA regulations.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The examiner's opinions were deemed inadequate due to their failure to consider possible onset within one year of service.

The Veteran's hearing loss is rated at 10 percent, the maximum available rating under VA regulations. The Board found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating based on the objective findings from the VA examination.