Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner and scheduling appropriate examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left radius fracture, left elbow scars, and left ear hearing loss were denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining information about his service in Korea and the 7th Ordnance Company.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, including noise exposure. As such, the claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is likely due to noise exposure during service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The other issues are pending further development.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and an addendum to the April 2012 VA examination report.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. However, the Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss for VA purposes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hearing loss disability is related to his service, including exposure to gunfire and jet engine noise. As a result, the claim for service connection for hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's initial evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was granted, but the assigned noncompensable rating is denied as his actual hearing impairment does not warrant such a low evaluation.

The Board denied all service connection claims, including those for schizophrenia, anxiety and depression, hearing loss, tinnitus, residuals of a fractured left tibia, back condition, and sciatica of the left lower extremity. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for schizophrenia.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection of a left shoulder disability and to reopen the claim of service connection for spondylolysis. The claims of hearing loss and tinnitus have been decided, with tinnitus found to be service-connected but no rating assigned due to lack of current hearing loss disability.

The Board has determined that the VA examination conducted in January 2013 is inadequate for the Veteran's hearing loss claim and remanded both the hearing loss and tinnitus claims due to their being inextricably intertwined. The claims are now back before the Board.

The Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability in either ear for VA compensation purposes, and therefore service connection is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of verified service records, and further efforts should be made to verify the appellant's active duty and training periods.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, arranging for a mental disorders examination, and considering whether staged rating of PTSD is appropriate.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records. The issues are service connection for a balance disorder, including as secondary to service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, and entitlement to a compensable disability rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

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

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss was granted with an effective date of December 7, 2010. The decision also recognized that the Veteran's claim for tinnitus had been pending since October 1971.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure of the RO to promptly notify him that his request for postponement of a scheduled videoconference hearing had not been granted. The Veteran will be given an opportunity to appear at the originally scheduled hearing.