Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as the evidence did not establish a link between his conditions and active duty. The reopening of claims was also denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for bilateral tinnitus is denied as he already has the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent. The derivative claim of entitlement to TDIU is remanded due to the need for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as he did not have sufficient evidence to establish a current disability, and the VA examiner found no link between his military service and his current condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to in-service noise exposure, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right ear hearing loss is incurred during active military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his current disability level does not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are related to his military service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional VA examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected hemorrhoids and left ear hearing loss, as well as any relevant private treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but dismissed the claim of service connection for bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining outstanding medical records. The claim will be adjudicated again after all necessary actions have been taken.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be incurred in service, and the claim for service connection is granted. The issues of bilateral hearing loss disability and skin disability are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including verification of periods of active duty and inactive duty training (ACDUTRA/INACDUTRA), obtaining additional medical opinions regarding hearing loss and tinnitus, and providing the Veteran with a supplemental statement of the case on his claim for migraine headaches.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal.

The Board has determined that the July 2010 VA examination was inadequate and remanded for a new medical examination. The case is now being returned to the RO/AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his current level of disability does not warrant any compensation.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the onset and relationship of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus to service. The Veteran's testimony will be considered in formulating a new opinion.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as the Board finds that there is sufficient evidence to support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation, with continuity of symptomatology since discharge.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability, as evaluated under the rating schedule, does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating. The VA examinations conducted did not show any exceptional patterns of hearing impairment that would warrant an extraschedular evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and denied service connection for neck, bilateral shoulder, and right elbow disabilities. Service connection was not established for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to in-service acoustic trauma and continuous symptoms since service separation.