Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not show current sensorineural hearing loss in either ear. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss.

The Board found that the Appellant's second period of service discharge was not honorable, and granted his claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as they are related to active duty noise exposure. The psychiatric disorder claim is denied.

The Board has remanded the case to the AOJ for consideration of whether a TDIU is warranted on an extraschedular basis due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not shown to have occurred in service, did not manifest for several years thereafter, and is not related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran currently has bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which are service-connected based on direct evidence of a link between in-service noise exposure and current symptoms.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, migraine headaches, erectile dysfunction, and degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine. The Veteran's PTSD was also rated at 30 percent effective December 11, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case due to a missing audiogram from September 2009, and the claim is still pending for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are incurred in service, with some evidence of noise exposure during his military service. The decision grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since March 3, 2011. The Board has granted entitlement to TDIU from that date.

The Veteran's hearing loss was evaluated as Level I in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable rating. The Board found that the Veteran is not entitled to a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, fibromyalgia, tension headaches, and degenerative changes of the lumbar spine with muscle strain were denied. The claim for service connection for sinus disability was granted based on allergic rhinitis only. Service connection for TMJ syndrome was established on merits.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of hearing loss of the right ear and finds that it is related to his military service. The Veteran was also found to have diabetes mellitus type II, which he contends is due to exposure to herbicides during his tour in Thailand.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the claims of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for hypothyroidism and entitlement to a compensable evaluation for left ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for VA purposes in either his right or left ear hearing loss, and thus service connection cannot be granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his combat service and grants service connection for this disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his hearing loss and bilateral knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service exposure to noise, while his respiratory disorder (asthma) is not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder was incurred in active service and the Board finds that service connection is warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus had their onset during service, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and an examination.