Hearing loss decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran. As a result, both conditions have been granted service connection.

The Veteran's skin condition and hearing loss have been reopened. The Board has granted a 10% rating for his right ankle scar, but the remaining claims are still pending due to additional development needed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA social and industrial survey to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was reduced from 80% to 20%, effective July 1, 2012. The claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability and TDIU is pending.

The Board finds that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is related to his military service and grants service connection for this disability.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss disability has been denied by the Board.

The Veteran's service treatment records show he had a hearing loss in one ear, but his current audiometric test results do not meet the criteria for a qualifying hearing loss disability under VA regulations. Therefore, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have its onset during service and the Board finds that it is related to his military noise exposure. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is remanded as the VA examination opinions are inadequate due to a lack of discussion regarding the threshold shift in hearing acuity between entrance and separation from service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and entitlement to increased ratings for his right shoulder separation with strain. The evidence did not show current hearing loss or a relationship between the claimed conditions and military service.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate November 2013 VA examination report, and the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus will be adjudicated again with a new examination.

The Board has determined that updated development is necessary and the case is REMANDED for a comprehensive VA orthopedic examination for the purposes of determining the severity of service-connected lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease, and a comprehensive audiological opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral pes planus, and a residual scar from an upper lip injury are all denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or in-service incurrence.,There is no competent medical evidence showing the Veteran has any of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and TDIU due to lack of evidence showing a relationship between his current disability and military service. The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim was granted, but he did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were found to be related to in-service hazardous noise exposure, resulting in a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Board has ordered further development of the medical record to determine if the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service, specifically his exposure to noise trauma in service. The case will be remanded for a supplemental advisory opinion from an audiologist or otologist.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active military service, as evidenced by noise exposure during service. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 22, 2012.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not show that his disability warranted a rating in excess of 40 percent.