Hearing loss decisions — 2016

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is at least as likely as not related to his military service, and grants service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is secondary to his service-connected bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and considering new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA and private treatment records, scheduling a VA examination, and readjudicating the issues of increased rating for thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease and TDIU.

The Veteran's hearing loss was noted prior to service and did not worsen during service. The Board finds that the preexisting condition was not aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining reasonably gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and earlier effective date, finding no evidence of a current disability in most cases or no causal link to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the appellant's request for a videoconference hearing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that there was no evidence of such conditions during or within one year after service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's hearing test results and a need for further examination and opinion regarding his claims of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were not related to his military service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is service-connected, as it was incurred during his active duty service due to exposure to acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and depression prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to September 6, 2011.

The Veteran's left knee, skin disorders (other than chloracne), and bilateral hearing loss are all found to be service-connected. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae and tinea barbae is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, skin disorder, right hip replacement, and left hip vascular necrosis have all been previously denied. The new evidence received since the last final denial does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating any of these claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to scheduling a VA examination for the Veteran's hearing loss claim. The appeal is currently in a pending state.

The Board found no evidence of a hearing loss disability or tinnitus during service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection based on direct service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is service-connected and granted service connection. For his left ear hearing loss, a non-compensable rating was assigned as there is no evidence showing it meets or approximates criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim. For his bilateral pes planus, he is currently receiving the maximum rating authorized for this condition.