Hearing loss decisions — 2015

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss for VA compensation purposes and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss disability did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and is unrelated to service. The VA examination report provided a thorough analysis based on the Veteran's self-reported history.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar disc disease and bilateral radiculopathy, left ankle disability, tinnitus, and hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current hearing loss is related to service, including noise exposure during military service and post-service work-related noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to appear for a Travel Board hearing scheduled at the RO. The case will be returned to the Board once he has provided notice of his new address and scheduling an additional hearing.

The Veteran's case is being remanded for the VA to obtain his recent VA treatment records and conduct a more contemporaneous examination of his right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new VA audiology evaluation and updated treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is etiologically related, at least in part, to his in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, rendered him unable to follow substantially gainful employment prior to October 6, 2014.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal of the issues of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss disability has been withdrawn.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been evaluated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period, with no distinct periods of time when a compensable evaluation would be warranted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of regular aid and attendance, which is granted for the period from June 2010 to May 2013.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of chronic bronchitis, residuals of a left fifth finger dislocation, or right ring finger disorder. Service connection was also denied for right ankle and foot disorders, as well as right shoulder and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current right ear hearing loss is not causally related to in-service noise exposure and that his left ear hearing loss was aggravated by pre-existing conditions during service. The Veteran's military records show a noted hearing impairment at entry into service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an extraschedular rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to April 4, 2012, finding that the available schedular ratings adequately accounted for his disability.

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

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, scar of the left inner arm, and PTSD) alone were found to be of such severity as to preclude him from obtaining or maintaining any gainful employment between July 9, 2009, and his death in December 2012.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient analysis and failure to provide an adequate statement of reasons or bases for its decision. The Veteran's claim is being returned to the AOJ for further action, including scheduling a VA examination at a more convenient location.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a disability manifested by uncontrollable body shakes is denied as there is no evidence of any neurological disorder or other ascertainable chronic disability. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also denied as his service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable.