Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a grant of either claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to in-service noise exposure. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU has been granted because his service-connected disabilities render him unemployable.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the Veteran's employability due to his service-connected disabilities and issuance of a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as 30 percent disabling since February 16, 2017. Prior to this date, the evidence does not support a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus are at least as likely as not related to his active duty service, including exposure to noise during combat. Therefore, both conditions have been granted service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, make it impossible for him to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and an opportunity for the Veteran to provide additional evidence. The claim will be readjudicated based on all available evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, and that the current 40 percent disability rating for post-concussive syndrome was appropriate.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a rating in excess of 40 percent, and his tinnitus is rated at 10 percent. The combined rating for both conditions is 50%, which does not meet the criteria for TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a).

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current bilateral hearing loss disability or thyroid disorder, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support service connection for either condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for a dental condition for compensation purposes. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for hearing loss, and there was no indication of a dental condition resulting from military service.

The Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, and the Board has granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. Specifically, an addendum VA opinion is required to address the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, and a search should be conducted to obtain the Veteran's pay stubs from his Naval Reserve service.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss on an extra-schedular basis was denied as his disability did not meet the criteria for such consideration.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further examination and development, as the current VA audiology examination is inadequate.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The issues on appeal are whether service connection is warranted for these conditions.