Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is etiologically related to in-service noise exposure, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran was granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, type II diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease due to exposure to herbicides. The COPD claim is pending as the evidence does not establish a direct relationship with service.,Tinnitus was found to be less likely caused by service.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disorder, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active duty service.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new and material evidence. The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his military service, and he is granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, residuals of TBI, and left ankle disability were denied. The claim for a higher rating for the left ankle was granted to 20 percent but not extended beyond February 28, 2013.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied. The claim for increased rating for residuals of SFW of the right lower extremity with Muscle Group (MG) XI damage and with retained foreign bodies (RFBs) was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss. The case will be returned to the Board after this additional development.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be etiologically related to his active military service.

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

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran has keloids on his chest and back, right ear hearing loss, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), right hip bursitis, left hip bursitis, right knee bursitis with chondromalacia, bilateral flat feet with degenerative changes of both feet, and stress related headaches. The Veteran's service connection claims are granted as his conditions are found to be at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for diabetes mellitus and PTSD were denied. The Board found that the criteria for a higher rating were not met at any point during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be etiologically related to active duty service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. The issues of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea and an increased rating for right knee degenerative arthritis are remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection, while his PTSD disability has been granted an initial evaluation of 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA audiological examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected left ear hearing loss and to provide an opinion on whether his right ear hearing loss disability is related to his active military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to determine the relationship between his current hearing loss and tinnitus and his active service.

The Veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected conditions, and the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 are not met.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus. The issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was withdrawn by the Veteran during a DRO hearing.

The Veteran's claim for payment of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Bronson Battle Creek Hospital on March 11, 2013 is granted due to the presence of service-connected disabilities and the emergent nature of his condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for periodontal disease, resulting in edentulism, was granted. The claims for hypertension, bilateral cataracts, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss disability were denied as not related to his active service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher, extra-schedular rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not show that his hearing loss was so exceptional or unusual as to render impractical the application of the regular schedular standards.