Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a hearing loss disability in either ear, as defined by VA regulations. Therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is causally related to in-service acoustic trauma and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has found that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition. The issues of bilateral hearing loss and a respiratory disorder are remanded for additional development.

Service connection for a low back disorder is granted as the Veteran's pre-existing condition was aggravated during service.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss is granted as it had its onset in service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss is granted. However, the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new examination and consideration of additional evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is related to his military service. The issue of scrotal hernia was withdrawn by the Veteran before a decision could be made.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability. The Veteran's claim for bronchitis was denied due to lack of medical evidence showing the condition was related to service or an undiagnosed illness, and his claim for chronic sinusitis was denied due to lack of medical evidence showing the condition was related to service or an undiagnosed illness.,The VA audiological examination in April 2012 found no hearing loss disability under VA standards. The Veteran's tinnitus was attributed to his service-connected allergic rhinitis.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claim of service connection for bilateral tinnitus and granted it, finding that there is at least as likely as not a causal relationship between the Veteran's current diagnosis of bilateral tinnitus and his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

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

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated as non-compensable. The VA examiner found the Veteran has hearing acuity of Level II in the right ear and Level III in the left ear, which corresponds to a non-compensable evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance or at the housebound rate is denied as he does not meet the criteria due to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus was incurred in, or caused by, his military service and grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, osteoarthritis of the right knee, and osteoarthritis of the left knee are not ripe for appellate disposition. The Veteran's claim for service connection for right spermatocele is also remanded due to a lack of an SOC.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to insufficient development of the record, particularly regarding when these conditions were first manifested postservice. The Board will seek additional evidence from the Veteran and arrange for an audiological evaluation to determine the etiology of his hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss and whether his myalgia of the lower extremities is caused or aggravated by his service-connected left ankle disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not meet or approximate criteria for a compensable disability rating during the entire appeal period.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new evidence received since the last denial. However, the Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his military service.,Service connection was granted for tinnitus but denied for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that it does not warrant a higher rating as his hearing impairment falls within the schedular criteria for a 50 percent rating.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection based on direct service connection.