Hearing loss decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is associated with his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran experienced in-service acoustic trauma and has current disabilities. The other issues on appeal are being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for referral of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability for consideration by the Director, Compensation and Pension Service for an extraschedular rating. The decision found that the Veteran's hearing loss did not result in marked interference with employment or hospitalizations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses for right ear hearing loss, a psychiatric disability (to include PTSD), or any neck disability. The claim for service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for further examination. The appellant is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he claims are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, specifically PTSD, has been denied. The claim for bilateral hearing loss remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease (IHD), hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied due to lack of exposure to herbicides in service and no current symptoms related to these conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of reopening his service connection for bilateral hammertoes. The decision is also granting service connection for this condition based on direct evidence showing it was incurred in service. For the issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a remand is necessary as the July 2011 VA audiology examination did not sufficiently ascertain the Veteran's current hearing acuity.

The Veteran's TBI residuals and cervical spine strain with degenerative disc disease, spondylosis, and intervertebral disc syndrome have been evaluated as denied. The Veteran was not granted any increased ratings for his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability was incurred during active service due to in-service noise exposure and left ear surgery, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for clothing allowance was denied as the medications prescribed for his service-connected skin disabilities have not been certified to cause irreparable damage to his outer garments.

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 Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether his current hearing loss started in service or is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss prior to February 21, 2011, and a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to June 24, 2013, was denied as the evidence did not show that his hearing acuity warranted such higher ratings.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability is granted as service connected, with the effective date to be determined based on the readjudication process.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with no evidence of noise exposure in service. As such, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to determine his ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss and wrist/knee disorders, were denied as there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or continuity of symptomatology. The Board found that the Veteran did not have current diagnoses for some of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches have been rated as 50 percent disabling since August 31, 2010. The Board finds no basis for a higher rating and the TDIU claim is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling a video conference hearing before the Board. The Veteran's claims of new and material evidence for diabetes mellitus, type II and bilateral hearing loss, as well as his rating claims for early degenerative joint disease of the right and left knees, are pending.