Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Veteran's current right ear hearing loss is not shown to have been present in service or for many years thereafter, nor is it shown to be the result of his military service. As a result, the claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss has been denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities or in-service incurrences that could be related to the claimed conditions.

The Board has found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are causally related to service, but his right shoulder and left shoulder disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and right ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to post-service noise exposure rather than in-service acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability has been rated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period. The low back strain disability was initially rated as noncompensable, but is now rated at 40 percent effective May 30, 2009.

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 for these conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability is etiologically related to acoustic trauma sustained in active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability. The Veteran is entitled to a new VA examination and an appropriate determination on his service connection claim.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for depression and granted a rating of 10 percent effective July 20, 2002. Service connection is also granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected Meniere's syndrome is rated at 100 percent, the highest possible rating under DC 6205, due to his frequent and severe attacks of vertigo and gait imbalance.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to lack of anatomical loss or use of both hands, blindness in both eyes with 5/200 visual acuity or less, or deep partial thickness burns, full thickness or subdermal burns, or residuals of an inhalation injury.

The Board found that the Veteran's Tourette's syndrome was not aggravated by service and denied his claims for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus as they were not shown to be related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes, and therefore cannot establish service connection.

The Board granted the Veteran's request for withdrawal of appeals for increased ratings for his right hip disability and PTSD with depressive disorder. The claim for an increased rating for scars due to shrapnel and motor vehicle accident was not fully substantiated.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain all pertinent treatment records and to provide the Veteran with a VA examination for his claimed disabilities. The claims are being remanded.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as his hearing impairment does not meet the criteria for any higher rating under VA's rating schedule.

The Veteran's cataract of the left eye is found to have been incurred during service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. The other issues on appeal are not addressed as they were not included in his notice of disagreement or statement of case.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be secondarily related to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted the TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus began in service and is related to his military noise exposure. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was not addressed due to a lack of evidence.