Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain updated VA and private treatment records, schedule the Veteran for a VA examination regarding his upper extremity neuropathy, and determine if he has service connection for intraforaminal disc herniation.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a right shoulder disability and granted service connection for tinnitus. The claims for bilateral knee disability and bilateral hearing loss are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to verify employment history, obtain private medical records, and provide an additional VA examination addressing the effects of his PTSD on his employability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's ear disorder and its relationship to his military service.

The Veteran is seeking a reduction in his disability rating for bilateral hearing loss from 60 to 50 percent, effective January 2, 2013. He also seeks a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are found to have incepted during active duty service due to acoustic trauma experienced while serving in the Republic of Vietnam, and thus service connection is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's preexisting right ear hearing loss did not increase in disability during service or worsen beyond its natural progression, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence in the November 2009 VA audiological examination report and needs a new medical examination of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable since the grant of service connection in May 2012. The VA audiological examinations conducted during the appeal period have shown that his bilateral hearing loss does not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and is not related to in-service noise exposure. As such, service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran experienced chronic hearing loss and tinnitus symptomatology during service, continuous after discharge, and currently has diagnosed disabilities. Therefore, service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and bilateral hearing loss were denied as the evidence does not support a finding of current disability related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently manifested by no worse than Level I hearing acuity in both ears, and therefore does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 10 percent since the appeal period began, which is the maximum schedular rating available for this condition.

The Veteran requested to withdraw all of his pending appeals, including those related to service connection for various conditions and disability ratings. As a result, the Board has dismissed the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting further evidentiary development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss must be remanded due to inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of his current hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss. The issue of entitlement to a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss is being remanded due to the inextricability with the right ear hearing loss claim.

The Veteran's service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus did not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment during the period from March 20, 2012 to March 26, 2014. Therefore, a TDIU was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back injury with leg numbness and bilateral hearing loss were denied, as well as his claim for TDIU. The Board found that the evidence did not support these claims.