Hearing loss decisions — 2016

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, effective from May 20, 2009 to October 15, 2014. The Board finds that a higher rating of 70 percent is warranted for the entire period under review.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his military service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in service and is not otherwise related to service. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a hearing disability during service, nor within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period, and his claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be related to in-service acoustic trauma, and service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss disability is related to service and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection. For right ear hearing loss, the Board determined that a compensable rating was not warranted under VA disability evaluation criteria.

The Board has remanded the case due to a pending request for a videoconference hearing. The issues of reopening claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as service connection for bilateral foot disability, are still under review.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for loss of the right testicle remains pending and will be remanded to allow for further development. The issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is also pending and will be remanded.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is at least 70 percent, and his PTSD is rated at 50 percent disabling. The criteria for entitlement to a TDIU have been met.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, with onset in Vietnam where he was exposed to loud noises without adequate protection. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) related to service. The Veteran's current hearing loss is not currently addressed as it was not fully evaluated in the remand.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral and left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss did not meet VA criteria for a disability. The examiner noted no evidence of in-service noise exposure or threshold shifts.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is not manifested by a level of hearing acuity necessary for a compensable rating, and therefore the claim for a compensable rating has been denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was rated at 20 percent prior to July 13, 2016.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for all issues on appeal.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been evaluated as noncompensable since March 2004. The most recent VA audiometric evaluations have shown Level I hearing in both ears, which corresponds to a noncompensable rating under the applicable VA criteria.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and personnel records from the Veteran's service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his service, and the claim for service connection is granted.