Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's in-service noise exposure is at least as likely as not related to his current condition. The remaining claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disability, back disability, and neck disability are remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn and is therefore dismissed.

The Board has found service connection warranted for peripheral neuropathy, gastrointestinal issues, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a back disability. Service connection is denied for hypertension.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated by service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a bilateral hearing loss disability was denied as there is no evidence of a chronic, identifiable hearing loss disability in service or linked to service.

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

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of her claimed conditions.

The Veteran is granted service connection for depressive disorder and migraine headaches, as these conditions are found to be related to his military service. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was not established due to lack of current disability.

The Veteran's tinnitus and left ear hearing loss disability are established as service-connected. The right ear hearing loss disability is not established.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service noise exposure, and thus service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was dismissed as a freestanding claim, due to the finality of the September 2011 Board decision.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure.,Service connection for hypertension is being remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding its relationship to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his in-service exposure to significant acoustic trauma, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus originated during or are otherwise related to his in-service noise exposure, thus granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating for tinnitus, service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (secondary to service-connected tinnitus) are denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the current level of hearing impairment.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions regarding the etiology of his hearing loss and its relationship to service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected right ear hearing loss does not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on Aid and Attendance or Housebound due to his dementia.