Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be incurred in service, while his bilateral hearing loss and acquired psychiatric disorder were not related to service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss pre-existed service and was not aggravated by service. The right ear hearing loss did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have current left ear hearing loss disability, and his preexisting lumbar spine disorder was not aggravated by service. His right shoulder and left shoulder disorders are addressed in a separate remand. The initial compensable ratings for costochondritis and right ear hearing loss disability were also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board denied all increased rating claims as the Veteran's service-connected conditions did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating.

The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at the maximum schedular rating, and his bilateral hearing loss disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation. The acquired psychiatric disorder has been found to warrant a 30 percent rating, but no higher. The claim for TDIU is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability did not manifest in service or for many years thereafter and is not related to service. Therefore, service connection was denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and medical opinion regarding the Veteran's hearing loss. The claim will be returned for further development.

The Board dismissed the motion due to the death of the moving party, and thus has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this case.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 70 percent, meeting the percentage requirements for a TDIU. However, his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted, with some conditions receiving a presumption of herbicide exposure and others being granted based on the evidence presented.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to a compensable rating for his left ear hearing loss and service connection for his right ear hearing loss. The Board found that there was no evidence of exceptional hearing loss in either ear, and concluded that the Veteran did not have significant threshold shifts in his right ear over the course of military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's in-service noise exposure is at least as likely as not related to his current condition. The claims for sleep disorder, right ear hearing loss disability, flat feet, and bilateral ankle disorder are remanded for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are attributable to service, with no presumption or other special consideration applied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current tinnitus began in and has continued since service, and therefore grants service connection for tinnitus. The issue of service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development and adjudication of his claims, including a new VA examination to address the etiology of his right ear hearing loss and its relationship to service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, and the Veteran's claims for hearing loss and right shoulder disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, but he does not have a current diagnosis of otitis media.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, gastrointestinal disability, skin cancer, and PTSD are denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence or aggravation.