Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is considered a disability for VA purposes, he was exposed to acoustic trauma in service, and the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether in-service acoustic trauma caused his hearing loss. The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability cannot be disassociated from the in-service exposure to acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 30 percent, which meets the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, blood clots of the right leg, hemoptysis (claimed as blood in the sputum), and chondroma of the left ring finger due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, bilateral eye disability (other than ptosis), and right hip disability due to lack of evidence showing a current disability related to service.

The Board has determined that the VA examination is inadequate and remands the case for further development, including a new opinion from an examiner who will consider all audiometric findings in the Veteran's service treatment records.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran is requested to provide clarification on whether he wants his VA examination rescheduled or if he wishes to withdraw his appeal.

The Veteran's right knee was granted a 20% rating effective August 12, 2010. The left knee patellofemoral syndrome is rated at 10%. The extension of the temporary total rating for the right knee beyond March 2009 has been denied.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The RO continued a noncompensable evaluation for the disability prior to October 15, 2012 and later increased it to 10 percent effective from October 15, 2012, and to 30 percent effective from February 27, 2013. The claim remains in appellate status as the highest possible benefit has not been awarded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and right perforated ear drum were initially granted service connection effective August 27, 2007. The RO assigned a noncompensable disability rating for the period prior to February 27, 2013.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination and scheduling of a video conference hearing.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities as defined by VA regulation. The examiner must also opine on whether these conditions are related to military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a right ankle fracture, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence of current disabilities or causation due to military noise exposure.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his service, as there was no evidence of chronic symptoms during or immediately after service and the post-service hearing difficulties were not shown until many years later.

The Veteran's PTSD and alcohol dependence symptoms have caused occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, including difficulty concentrating, hypervigilance, depressed mood, anxiety, chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss, disturbances in motivation and mood, and impairment of relationships. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and alcohol dependence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and right ear hearing loss are service-connected. The decision is based on a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus with retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities, tinnitus, coronary heart disease, bilateral hearing loss, and erectile dysfunction, are rated at a combined 80 percent. The Board finds that these conditions render the Veteran unemployable due to their severity and his limited education and work experience.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is etiologically related to his in-service exposure to acoustic trauma, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that his symptoms began during service and continue to this day. The hearing loss claim was withdrawn by the Veteran.