Hearing loss decisions — 2016

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by active duty service. The current conditions are considered to be due to a combination of noise exposure and age.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from Better Hearing Centers of Florida and scheduling a VA examination to determine if hearing loss disability and tinnitus are related to noise exposure during ACDUTRA service.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis and hearing loss have been granted service connection, but his increased rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for left and right knee disabilities, right ear hearing loss, and service connection for left ear hearing loss have been dismissed. The appeal regarding the April 2011 rating decision denying a petition to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for a neck disability was not timely filed. Service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disorder has been granted.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is found to be related to his military service, and the claim for service connection is granted. The left ear hearing loss claim remains pending as there are no current VA-recognized criteria met.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and medical opinions regarding his hearing loss and tinnitus. The AOJ will also obtain any outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current right ear hearing loss or tinnitus for VA purposes and therefore service connection is denied. The Veteran's statements regarding the onset and continuity of his tinnitus are deemed not credible.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, peptic ulcer and PTSD have been granted. The effective date of the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease is October 6, 2010.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is rated at 10 percent, and his PTSD is rated at the minimum of 30 percent. Both evaluations are denied as they do not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to the need for new and material evidence to reopen a claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as well as an audiological evaluation and ophthalmological opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cataracts.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's original claim was denied in 1994, and no additional evidence has been provided within one year of that decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is service-connected, as it resulted from noise exposure during his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus claims.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability, resulting in a denial.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The issues of entitlement to a compensable disability rating for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have not been decided.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and is remanding the issue of service connection for a low back disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to unclear dates of periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA) that may qualify him for basic eligibility for Veterans benefits. The VA will need to determine if any such periods exist and whether his current hearing loss and left knee disability are related to these periods.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for right ear hearing loss and granted it, finding that the Veteran's current right ear hearing loss is at least as likely as not caused by or a result of his military service.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed, specifically obtaining the Veteran's Reserve medical records. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to arrange for a new hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.