Hearing loss decisions — 2016

The Board has decided that an additional VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran has a hearing loss disability and whether it is related to service. The Veteran's claim for service connection will be remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for coronary artery disease was granted, and he is now rated at 30 percent. The claim for bilateral hearing loss remains pending.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as his conditions are found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss remains at zero percent (noncompensable) since the effective date of January 11, 2011.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his period of active duty for training, and thus service connection is granted. However, there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between the Veteran's coronary artery disease and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran needs a new VA examination by an otologist or otolaryngologist to determine the current nature and etiology of his bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, including in-service noise exposure.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability was not incurred or aggravated during his first period of active service and is not otherwise related to such. The examiner concluded it was less likely than not caused by or a result of an event in service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and audiometric results from a recent hearing examination. The issue of entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus and chronic mastoiditis were not related to service. The case is being remanded for further clarification from a VA examiner.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 10% rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there was no prior claim or increase in severity of his service-connected condition before May 2, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a hearing. The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than posttraumatic stress disorder, to include major depressive disorder, dysthymia, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorder, not otherwise specified; entitlement to a higher initial disability rating for posttraumatic stress disorder; and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability are now before the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service noise exposure, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss did not have its onset in service or within a presumptive period, and is not etiologically related to service-connected otitis externa.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus related to service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his service, and the Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current hearing loss or tinnitus disabilities for VA purposes and therefore service connection is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, considering the impairment from the disorders and his educational and employment background.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his service, including periods of active duty or National Guard service. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred during service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as there is no current disability, and the evidence does not show that any current conditions are related to service.,There is no current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus. The Veteran has provided conflicting statements regarding when she first noticed these symptoms.