Hearing loss decisions — 2016

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected as they were not shown to be related to his military service.,PTSD was not diagnosed based on a verified stressor event in service, and the Veteran did not have PTSD due to fear of hostile military activity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are associated with his active duty, and therefore grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's application for VA healthcare benefits was granted as he now has a combined rating of 10% due to service-connected disabilities, allowing him basic eligibility.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings on his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a re-examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and peripheral vascular disease are related to his service, granting these claims.

The Board has ordered a remand to provide the Veteran with an addendum opinion regarding his bilateral hearing loss, specifically addressing whether it is related to in-service acoustic trauma and/or the septorhinoplasty he underwent. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim.

The VA determined that the Veteran's COPD is not related to his active duty service, including exposure to asbestos or herbicides. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the Veteran’s current lung condition to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and will provide further development before making a decision on the claims.

The case is being remanded for further development due to the need to address pending appeals related to TBI, vertigo, and hearing loss. The PTSD rating issue will be reconsidered after these other issues are resolved.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, scheduling the Veteran for a vocational evaluation, and referring the case to the Director of Compensation Service for an extraschedular evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss for VA compensation purposes.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has been evaluated as non-compensable under the schedular criteria. The Board found that an extraschedular evaluation was not warranted due to lack of exceptional factors associated with his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show an exceptional pattern of hearing impairment or suggest that the regular schedular rating criteria do not contemplate his level of functional impairment.

The Veteran's current tinnitus is the result of acoustic trauma in service, and his claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current tinnitus is at least as likely as not caused by or the result of noise trauma during his military service. The claim for bilateral hearing loss remains pending and will be remanded for additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied service connection for right knee, lumbar spine, and sinus disorders. The Veteran's in-service exposure to noise is conceded, but the evidence does not establish a nexus between his current conditions and service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and an addendum opinion from the September 2011 VA audiologist.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his representative, resulting in the dismissal of the case.