Hearing loss decisions — 2016

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability for VA purposes.,Service connection granted for bilateral foot and knee disabilities, with the latter being secondary to the former.

The Board found no evidence of a bilateral hearing loss disability during service or within one year post-service, and the Veteran's current hearing loss was not caused by his military noise exposure. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his active duty service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran does not have hearing loss, tinnitus, residuals of a fractured nose, or right ankle disability that was caused or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his attorney, and as a result, the claims are dismissed.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for the Veteran's PTSD and found that he is entitled to TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for loss of teeth due to periodontal disease, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus has been denied. The Board found that the Veteran is legally precluded from entitlement to service connection for compensation purposes for his diabetes, which contributed to his loss of teeth.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at a 20% since September 24, 2014. Prior to that date, the disability was not compensable.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable under the VA rating schedule. The Board finds that his disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, including noise exposure. As a result, both conditions have been granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and actinic keratosis are related to service due to noise exposure. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss was evaluated as level I, but did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's inner ear disorder, including cholesteatoma, is related to his active military service and grants service connection for this condition. The issue of a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right ear hearing loss with mastoidectomy due to cholesteatoma will be remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus as likely as not manifested as a result of exposure to acoustic trauma during service, and the Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss, which he claims is related to in-service noise exposure. The Board has ordered additional development including obtaining VA and private treatment records and requesting an opinion from a VA examiner.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and a higher initial rating for non-union lateral sesamoid fracture of the right great toe. The appeal was not about service connection for lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, frostbite residuals, PTSD, and tinnitus, prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that a TDIU is warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's in-service noise exposure is causally related to his current condition. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including seeking a new VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss. The appeal is currently in remand status.

The Veteran's right foot peroneal tendonitis is found to have its onset during active service.,There is no current hearing loss for VA compensation purposes and the Veteran does not have a chronic Eustachian tube disability. The Board finds that his symptoms are more consistent with recurrent pharyngitis, which resolved after he was no longer deployed on ships.