Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his satisfaction with the RO determination.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss prior to April 22, 2016 did not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The Board has decided to remand the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate medical opinion and potential errors in audiometric testing results at separation. The Veteran's assertions of noise exposure during service are considered, but further examination is needed.

The Veteran's current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss disability is not considered to be related to service, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran does not have bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes. The Board finds that the evidence of record does not demonstrate a current disability of bilateral hearing loss during the current appeal period.

The appellant withdrew her appeals for the claims of service connection for left knee chondromalacia with a history of left meniscectomy, low back strain and degenerative disc disease as secondary to the left knee disorder, chloracne on the back, shoulders, and lower abdomen, and hearing loss in the left ear.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for left ear hearing loss on an extraschedular basis was denied by the Board. The evidence did not support granting an additional rating beyond the current 10 percent assigned.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work experience.

The Board finds the evidence to be in relative equipoise regarding whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is due to exposure to in-service acoustic trauma. As such, reasonable doubt has been resolved in favor of the Veteran and his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right ankle disorder, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, left thumb fracture, inguinal hernia, right hip DJD, and surgical scar, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment for the period from May 9, 2006 to March 13, 2011. The Board has granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis during this timeframe.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently evaluated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that this evaluation adequately reflects his level of disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the possibility of worsening symptoms, and a new VA examination is needed to assess his current bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine if he experienced TBI due to an in-service blast and whether his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to that injury.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is due to exposure to hazardous noise levels during his active service as a sniper and infantryman, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and his initial ratings for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss were also denied. The Board found no legal basis for higher initial ratings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's post-operative residuals of right and left lower extremity cold injury, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus are all attributable to service. The partial amputations were due to diabetes mellitus rather than the in-service cold injuries.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus is at least as likely as not a symptom of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board finds that service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is not warranted as the Veteran's current hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a chronic disease under 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(a) and there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or an in-service event, injury, or disease that could be causally related to his current condition.

The Veteran's service-connected left ear hearing loss, headaches, and traumatic brain injury have been granted. The Veteran is now rated at 70% for his traumatic brain injury.