Hearing loss decisions — 2016

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's in-service acoustic trauma is likely to have caused his current bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine and eye disabilities are not related to his military service, while bilateral hearing loss is being remanded. The Veteran's current conditions do not meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, as his hearing loss was noted upon entry into ACDUTRA and active duty but did not permanently increase in severity during these periods.

The Veteran is granted TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, with a combined disability rating of 80 percent.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for hearing loss, hepatitis C, liver disease, residuals of a head injury, and psychiatric disability. The decision also reopened the claim for service connection for hearing loss but found no new and material evidence to support reopening the other claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from July 9, 2009.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, as evaluated under the VA rating schedule, does not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable (10%) disability rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not have its clinical onset in service and is not otherwise related to active duty. Sensorineural hearing loss was not exhibited within the first post-service year.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, right rotator cuff tear, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus type 2 with erectile dysfunction, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and bilateral hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since December 4, 2006.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of TDIU is granted, as the evidence shows he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities since March 27, 2006.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied across multiple issues, including cancer of the left pharyngeal tonsil, ischemic heart disease, bilateral swelling of the feet, headaches, PTSD, fibromyalgia, gastrointestinal disability to include acid reflux, sleeping disorders to include sleep apnea, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, skin disorder (chloracne), bleeding from the nose and mouth, tinnitus, an upper back and/or neck disability, and bilateral hearing loss. The decision does not specify a rating assigned or effective date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that his conditions did not warrant higher evaluations or additional benefits.

The Veteran's hearing loss was found to have increased on January 2, 2015 and a 20 percent rating has been granted for this period.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records and opinions from a VA audiologist.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 20 percent prior to June 24, 2011 and 20 percent thereafter. The Board finds that the current ratings are appropriate.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated at the maximum schedular level of 50 percent, effective September 27, 2012. The right knee disability was also granted a higher evaluation to 20 percent effective October 2, 2012.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to February 20, 2013, and a rating in excess of 10 percent thereafter is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his in-service noise exposure, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for the issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the current bilateral hearing loss is attributable to active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.