Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing disability for VA purposes in his right ear, and there is no evidence of tinnitus or left ear hearing loss within one year of separation from service. Therefore, the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied.

The Veteran's claims have been dismissed due to his death. No service connection decisions were made.

The Veteran's in-service noise exposure is conceded. However, his hearing loss to an extent recognized as a disability for VA purposes has not been shown prior to January 15, 2015.

For the entire rating period from February 14, 2008, the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has exhibited no worse than Level II hearing in both ears. The criteria for a higher (compensable) disability rating for bilateral hearing loss have not been met or more nearly approximated.

The Veteran's hearing loss is service-connected due to in-service acoustic trauma, and he has been granted a 70 percent rating for his PTSD.,He is also entitled to a TDIU since September 2009.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not have their onset or be otherwise incurred in service, and thus denied service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's combined disability rating meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, which include PTSD, prostate cancer, and tinnitus. The preponderance of evidence shows that these conditions are of such severity as to prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and increased ratings for left shoulder disability, headaches, folliculitis, and cervical spine disability. The decision also addressed a claim for TDIU but did not adjudicate it due to procedural issues.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of her bilateral pes planus, gastrointestinal disability, hearing loss, tinnitus, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The issues on appeal include service connection claims for these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss did not manifest during or as a result of his active military service and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records from prison and scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss, tinnitus, and TBI residuals.

The Board has determined that there is no diagnosed concussive disability during the appeal period. Therefore, service connection for a concussion disability cannot be established.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart condition, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The VA medical opinion is inadequate and the case is remanded for a new examination to determine if any current bilateral hearing loss was incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during his active military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome is presumed service connected, his hearing loss does not meet VA criteria for a disability rating, and he was granted a 10% rating for GERD.

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

The Board has determined that the July 2012 VA examination opinion is not adequate to decide the claim and has ordered a supplemental opinion. The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus may also contribute to his hearing loss, which needs to be evaluated.