Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate examinations in August 2014. The Veteran's claims of hearing loss, tinnitus, and right hand carpal tunnel syndrome are being reviewed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, and other conditions, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a videoconference hearing, and it is unclear if he withdrew his request. The case will be scheduled for a hearing at the earliest available opportunity.

The Veteran's claims for hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA audiological examination.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the representative requested and received approval to withdraw the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA rating purposes and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claim of service connection for visual impairment is also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, to include as secondary to hypertension, is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and conduct a VA examination.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and found new and material evidence, but denied the claim as there is no evidence of a current disability due to noise exposure in service.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new and material evidence. The Veteran's in-service noise exposure is accepted, but his pre-existing hearing loss did not worsen during service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are both granted. Bilateral hearing loss is not related to service, while tinnitus is etiologically related to the Veteran's period of active service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, with the most recent and severe audiologic results yielding a noncompensable rating.,Service connection for left knee osteoarthritis and right knee osteoarthritis to include medial joint compartment narrowing has been granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for scheduling a hearing before a member of the Board at the RO.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding his claims of service connection for a sleep disability and bilateral hearing loss disability, both claimed as secondary to his service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is likely attributable to in-service noise exposure, and the Board finds service connection for this condition is warranted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right elbow disability, claimed as cellulitis, was denied because there is no current diagnosis of a right elbow disability. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of a current disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his active duty service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is not related to his military service and denies the claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 30 percent, the maximum schedular rating available for this condition. The Board finds that a higher initial rating is not warranted as his hearing impairment does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as zero percent disabling, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.