Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to have had their onset during active military service or are otherwise related to in-service exposure to combat noise. Service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is entitled to a 20 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss effective August 17, 2015. Prior to this date, he did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has decided to remand the claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's preexisting hearing loss was aggravated by his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons and bases in its previous decision, requiring a TDIU opinion from a vocational expert.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as the Board finds that his service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not present such an exceptional or unusual disability picture to warrant an extraschedular rating.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been characterized by no more than Level VI hearing impairment in the right ear, and Level V hearing impairment in the left ear since August 4, 2006. The criteria for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent have not been met.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claims of service connection for depression, increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are being reviewed.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability in his right ear for VA compensation purposes, and thus service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his active service. The other issues remain pending and will be addressed in a separate decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and for an SOC on the issue of entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma do not warrant a compensable initial evaluation.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to service, while the back disability (claimed as TBI) and headaches are not found to be related to service.

The Board has reopened the claims of entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder disability, left wrist disability, upper back disability, mid-to-low-back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, right ankle disability, and PTSD. The Veteran's reports of inservice acoustic trauma are accepted as credible evidence of an in-service event. Service connection is granted.

The appeal is being remanded for additional development, including consideration of exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and records from Blanchfield Army Community Hospital.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not attributable to his service, as they first manifested years after separation from active duty.

The Veteran's claim for an initial, compensable rating for scars was not addressed as the issue is unclear.,The Veteran's hypertension secondary to prostate cancer has been granted service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not meet the criteria for service connection as they were not shown to be related to his military service.

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

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it became manifest in-service or is otherwise shown to be related to in-service noise exposure. The issue of bilateral hearing loss remains pending and will be remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the current hearing loss and tinnitus claims require additional development due to inadequate opinions in the previous VA examination.