Hearing loss decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss, hepatitis C, liver disease, and hernia were not found to be related to service.

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 Veteran's initial noncompensable and 10 percent ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied.,VA has not assigned higher initial ratings for these grants.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 40 percent, effective October 4, 2001. This rating reflects the severity of his service-connected bilateral sensorineural hearing loss alone and in combination with other conditions such as tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records from prior hearing tests and hearing aid use. A VA audiologic examination will be conducted to determine if his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from October 24, 2013. The Board has granted a TDIU for this period.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed psychiatric, knee, hearing loss, and rhabdomyolysis disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining a new VA medical opinion and requesting the Veteran's separation examination report.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded as the VA examination provided by the November 2010 examiner is inadequate. The Board requires a new VA examination to determine if his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbosacral spine strain, to include degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The claims for service connection for dyslipidemia and bilateral hearing loss disability have been granted. However, the claim for hypertension (to include as secondary to IHD) has not been resolved.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for PTSD, a hearing loss disability of the left ear, and tinnitus.,These conditions are all related to his active military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypercholesterolemia as due to herbicide exposure, hypertension and swelling of the left leg secondary to diabetes mellitus has been reopened. His diabetes mellitus is rated at a 20 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's currently diagnosed tinnitus is at least as likely as not related to active service, and the Board grants his claim for service connection for tinnitus. The issue of hearing loss remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD are being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's hearing loss was rated as Level II in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable rating. The Board found no evidence of service connection for dizzy spells and denied the claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right ear hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulations, and therefore service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss had its onset during service and is related to his military service, granting service connection for this condition.