Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Veteran's hearing loss has been manifested by not worse than Level I hearing impairment in the right ear and Level VI hearing impairment in the left ear, warranting a noncompensable rating.

The Veteran's eye disability is not related to his active duty service, but he has tinnitus that is related to his military service.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability may be due to noise exposure during service and postservice work history.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss, sleep apnea, and hypertension were not incurred or aggravated by service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and to obtain VA treatment records. The issues of increased ratings for hearing loss, tension headaches, cervical spine disability, and right upper extremity radiculopathy are pending.

The Veteran has withdrawn their appeal regarding the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, residuals of bilateral inguinal hernias, migraine headaches, and low back disability have all been denied as there is no evidence to support the presence or causation of these conditions during his military service.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for left ear hearing loss and granted it, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing hearing loss was aggravated by his military service. The right knee disability and lower back disability claims are remanded due to inadequate examination findings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active military service, with no presumption or secondary connection established.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected diplopia and the etiology of his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, with the latter being secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for an initial (compensable) rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new VA audiology evaluation to assess the current severity of his disability.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination. His claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss was previously granted in August 2014, and he has now testified about worsening of his right ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that further development is needed before the claims can be decided on their merits. The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are being referred back to the AOJ for additional examination and consideration.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right ear hearing loss is not related to his military service, including noise exposure as a cannon crewman. The evidence did not show any in-service injury or manifestation of hearing loss.

The Veteran's death was caused by alcohol abuse, which is secondary to his service-connected PTSD.,The Veteran did not meet the criteria for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is as likely as not due to noise exposure during his period of active service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the issues related to bilateral hearing loss prior to a decision being made by the Board.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for service connection of right ear hearing loss, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to consider this matter further.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating, as his hearing impairment is currently rated at zero percent under Diagnostic Code 6100. The evidence shows no significant functional impact on daily life or employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation, and that any current conditions are less likely than not related to service. For his heart disorder claim secondary to herbicide exposure, the VA examination was inadequate as it did not address other diagnosed heart disorders such as hypertension and an enlarged heart.