Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Board is remanding the DIC issue for issuance of an SOC, as there was no effective substantive appeal of the DIC denial before the Board.,The character of service issue remains in its current status.

The Veteran's current tinnitus is etiologically related to service, and the Board finds that he currently has bilateral hearing loss. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete information and a need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU as they do not result in a combined rating of at least 70%.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 10 percent rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss from December 1, 2009 due to procedural errors in reducing his rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes or tinnitus. The claims of service connection for astigmatism and myopia, low back strain, cervical and pelvic non-allopathic lesions, myalgia and myositis, hypertension, and external hemorrhoids are denied as there is no competent medical evidence showing a current disability.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for left ear hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and opinion regarding whether his pre-existing hearing loss worsened during active duty.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and hyperlipidemia, was dismissed. The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to active duty.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board found that the pre-existing hearing defect did not worsen during service, and there is no presumption of aggravation.

The Veteran's current respiratory disorder is as likely as not etiologically related to in-service asbestos exposure, and the Board grants service connection for a respiratory disorder. The issue of bilateral hearing loss will be remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his military service. However, the Veteran does not meet the threshold eligibility requirements for nonservice-connected pension benefits due to a lack of active duty during a wartime period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and right ear hearing loss were denied. The Veteran was granted a 10% disability rating for tinnitus, but the Board found that this did not warrant an increased evaluation. His claims for ischemic heart disease, anxiety disorder, bilateral tinea pedis, and left ear hearing loss are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, while his heart disorder is denied as there is insufficient evidence of a current diagnosis during the pendency of this appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The RO also found that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or caused by military acoustic trauma.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration of the Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss due to a ruptured eardrum. The AOJ must re-adjudicate the issue, considering all evidence received since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's low back disability, diagnosed as degenerative changes of the lumbar spine, is attributable to service. The Board finds that this condition was incurred in active duty.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his functional impairment from service-connected disabilities. The AOJ will readjudicate the case with consideration of all evidence received since the last prior adjudication.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is causally related to acoustic trauma experienced during service, and grants his claim for service connection.