Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Board found that there was no evidence showing a nexus between these conditions and his military service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is due to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are not related to his in-service noise exposure, thus denying service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a Statement of the Case on issues related to service connection and reopening claims.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his disability did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating prior to December 23, 2014, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability in his right ear, and the VA examiner found that any hearing loss or tinnitus was not related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for service connection as there was no evidence of a nexus between his in-service noise exposure and current hearing loss.

The Veteran's initial rating of 30 percent for PTSD was granted, effective April 22, 2011. The Board found that his symptoms prior to June 8, 2012, did not warrant a higher rating due to moderate impairment in occupational and social functioning. Since June 8, 2012, the Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent, reflecting significant impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining clarification on a November 1995 hearing examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The scar to the right cheek was not rated higher than 10 percent, bilateral hearing loss was not rated higher than noncompensable prior to March 18, 2015, and there is no evidence of a direct or presumptive relationship between his claimed conditions and active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and neurodermatitis of the hands was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of entitlement to a compensable rating for either condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating prior to April 1, 2009, and subsequently found no improvement in his condition from April 1, 2009. The right knee, congenital fifth toe deformities, ischemic heart disease, and hypertension claims were also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining outstanding medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of his hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his asthma, lower abdominal muscle or groin tear disability, and left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is established as service-connected. The claims for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo are also granted as secondary to the service-connected right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of nose injury with nasal deformity status post septorhinoplasty are not manifested by obstruction greater than 50 percent on both sides, or complete obstruction on one side. The Board finds that the criteria for a compensable evaluation have not been met.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied across multiple issues, including hearing loss and various musculoskeletal conditions. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable evaluation for hearing loss or establish service connection for any of the other claimed disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active duty service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Veteran's spouse is not eligible for an aid and attendance allowance because the Veteran does not have a service-connected disability rated at least 30 percent, his wife is not a veteran who is also entitled to pension benefits in her own right, and he is alive.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable evaluation under the applicable rating criteria.