Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression is granted. The Veteran also has a current rating of 40% for bilateral hearing loss effective December 6, 2012.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for nonservice-connected pension benefits is denied as there was no prior pending claim or informal request for such benefits.

The Veteran has bilateral hearing loss that is the result of disease or injury incurred during active military service, and his tinnitus may be related to noise exposure in service. The Board finds it as likely as not that both conditions are attributable to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new VA opinion regarding whether his current hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which have rendered him unemployable.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are causally related to his history of in-service noise exposure, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no legal basis for a higher schedular rating, given the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent has been in place. The case is remanded to obtain SSA records, provide a VA audiological examination, and consider whether an extraschedular rating is warranted.

The Veteran's lung disability claim is denied, but his claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have hearing loss during service or within one year after discharge, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's tinnitus is presumed to have been incurred during service due to noise exposure. The issues of left and right ear hearing loss are pending as the VA examination did not provide a clear opinion on their etiology.

The Board has found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss had its onset in service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis and assigned a noncompensable disability rating, effective from September 16, 2008. The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and kidney stones were denied as new and material evidence was not received within one year of the June 2005 decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of left ear hearing loss or head injury residuals for VA purposes, and thus service connection cannot be granted.

The Veteran's death was not caused by any of his service-connected conditions, and the Board finds that the appellant does not have competent medical evidence to support her claim. As a result, she is not entitled to burial benefits based on the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board found that the Veteran's scarring of bilateral tympanic membranes was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and his bilateral hearing loss is not presumed to have been caused by military noise exposure. The Board denied both issues.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) records and other relevant medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed as he requested withdrawal.,Service connection for residuals of a bacterial infection, diagnosed as hemorrhagic fever and claimed as malaria, is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining missing VA treatment records and determining if substitution of the appellant is proper. The claim will be adjudicated in light of any new evidence received.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain clarifying medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as any outstanding VA treatment records.