Hearing loss decisions — 2016

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was initially rated as noncompensable, but a rating of 40 percent has been granted effective June 18, 2014. The appeal is denied for earlier effective dates.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not meet the criteria for service connection as they are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have rendered him unemployable prior to March 25, 2016. The Board has granted a TDIU for this period.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and an audiological examination to assess the impact of his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus on his employability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is manifested by no more than Level II impairment in the right ear and Level IV impairment in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable rating.

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

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and bilateral hearing loss. The weight of the evidence does not establish a nexus between the Veteran's current disabilities and his in-service back sprain or noise exposure, respectively.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable prior to April 5, 2016 and 10 percent thereafter. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating before that date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his medical records and consideration of his claims.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for migraine headaches and determined that he is entitled to service connection for this condition. The issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was remanded due to insufficient medical opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been granted, but the specific details of each grant are not provided in this decision.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 50 percent effective March 27, 2015. The issue of tinnitus was granted with an effective date of November 3, 2009.

The Board has determined that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss had its onset during military service and grants service connection for this condition.

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

The Veteran did not have a hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes at the time of her August 2009 claim and has not had one since. Therefore, there can be no valid service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of a diagnosis within one year post-service separation and the current condition does not meet VA criteria for a disability.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease was rated at 30 percent prior to November 12, 2013. After that date, the rating increased to 60 percent and then to 100 percent effective June 19, 2014.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting the grant of TDIU.