Hearing loss decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability warrants a 10 percent rating, which is commensurate with his average earning capacity impairment. The evidence does not support an extraschedular evaluation.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss has not been found to be severe enough for a compensable rating under the VA disability evaluation criteria.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and bilateral hearing loss due to exposure to herbicides were denied as there is no credible evidence of such exposure. The Board also found that the disabilities did not manifest during or within one year after service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus, finding that new evidence submitted since the final February 2004 rating decision establishes current disabilities. The Veteran is now entitled to service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to noise exposure during his active military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his active service, and thus denies his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his hearing loss claims.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service. Service connection was denied for a low back disability due to lack of evidence showing it is related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a new VA examination. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to an initial, compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be at least as likely as not related to his military service, including in-service noise exposure and a perforated left eardrum.,The Veteran currently suffers from Barrett's esophagus and GERD, which the Board finds is less likely than not caused by or related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and residuals of head injury (other than balance problems) are service-connected based on direct evidence, without requiring any presumption or secondary connection.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected punctured ear drum with hearing loss, left ear was granted. The effective date of the grant is August 12, 2009.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and hearing loss were denied in September 2007, reopened and granted effective January 15, 2015.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, including acoustic trauma sustained during military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes, and thus service connection is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, finding that the earliest possible effective date was May 29, 2012 when his original claim was received.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension but denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and an initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are granted. He is found to have current diagnoses of herpes, residuals of a right hand injury, residuals of a head injury (including PTSD), and tinnitus that are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current tinnitus is likely related to his period of service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. However, there is no evidence of a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulations.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus did not have their onset in service or within one year of his separation from service, and are not otherwise etiologically related to in-service noise exposure. Therefore, the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied.