Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his noise exposure in service and grants this claim. The claim for PTSD was denied as there is no current diagnosis of tinnitus, which is a requirement for diagnosing PTSD.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have been incurred in service due to noise exposure during his military service. The hearing loss and lung cancer claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his current hearing acuity does not meet the criteria for any higher evaluation under VA's rating schedule.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss disability was denied in a January 2004 rating decision. The RO subsequently granted a 10 percent rating effective from April 2010. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence is against finding that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability more nearly approximates the level of severity contemplated by a higher rating at any point during the appeal period. Regarding his claim to reopen service connection for residuals of right index finger injury, new and material evidence has been received since the January 2004 rating decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss for VA compensation purposes, and thus service connection is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection, with the opinion that both conditions are related to military noise exposure.

The Board has granted the Veteran's appeal for service connection for tinnitus, finding that his current condition is related to noise exposure during military service. Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between in-service noise exposure and current hearing loss.

The Veteran's claimed conditions of bilateral pes planus, knee disability (chondromalacia patella), back disability, and hearing loss were not incurred or aggravated during his active military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was manifested by level I or II hearing in the right ear and level II or III hearing in the left ear, resulting in a non-compensable evaluation.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have residuals of ruptured eardrums other than hearing loss, and denied service connection for these conditions. The claim for increased rating for LLE radiculopathy was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral interstitial fibrosis and PTSD, did not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to March 6, 2012.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss has been denied as the evidence does not support a rating in excess of 10 percent from September 24, 2007 through November 14, 2016 and a rating in excess of 30 percent since November 15, 2016.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 70 percent, and he is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral hearing loss, and proliferative diabetic bilateral retinopathy remain on appeal. The case is REMANDED to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is not service-connected as it did not manifest during active service and there is no evidence of a nexus between the current condition and in-service noise exposure.,The Veteran's heart disability, diagnosed as congestive heart failure, was first manifested many years after service. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that his current heart disability is related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his military service, while the Eustachian tube dysfunction is not.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for further development, including consideration of new evidence and a VA examination. The appeal will be returned to the Board after this additional review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is causally related to his exposure to noise while in service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral hearing loss, and proliferative diabetic bilateral retinopathy remain on appeal. The case is REMANDED to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of current VA examination for the Veteran's audiological conditions and potential worsening. The Veteran is requested to undergo another VA examination.