Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disability present within one year after separation from service and concluding that any current hearing loss is not related to service.

The Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities for the period prior to December 22, 2009.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between his current conditions and active duty service.

The Board found no evidence of a hearing loss disability in service or for many decades thereafter, and the most probative evidence fails to link the current disorder to service. Similarly, there was no evidence linking tinnitus to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, which represents a complete grant of the benefit sought on appeal. The Veteran's current psychiatric disability is found to be related to his in-service acoustic trauma and thus service connection is granted.

The Board has vacated the August 2011 rating decision and remanded the case for development.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, migraine headaches, asthma, lumbosacral strain, right quadriceps strain, hemorrhoids, left bunion with pes planus, and other conditions. The claims are being remanded for additional development to determine the current severity of these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development due to incomplete records and need for a clarifying opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not related to his service, and the Board finds that he does not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are related to service, with tinnitus being granted as a result of in-service noise exposure. Bilateral hearing loss is not shown to be related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is service-connected as it had its onset during his military service.

The Veteran's claims for arthritis of the knees and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded due to a lack of VA examination, incomplete treatment records, and need for further medical evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his active service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim of eligibility for an annual clothing allowance is denied as he does not use any prosthetic, orthopedic appliance, or medication for a service-connected disability that wears out or tears his clothing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran experienced acoustic trauma during active service and currently suffers from bilateral hearing loss. Given this, the appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, arrange for a VA examination, and address the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bladder cancer.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board cannot proceed with the merits of this case as he is no longer alive.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for left arm tremors and service connection for melanoma, to include as secondary to herbicide exposure at the December 2014 Board hearing.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The VA audiological examinations are inadequate, and a remand is required to obtain an adequate clarification of the medical opinion with a rationale addressing the pertinent audiometric data.

The Board has determined that an effective date of January 19, 1995 is warranted for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss.