Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his service-connected bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for any higher evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new audiology examination to determine if the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not meet the schedular criteria for such a rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability does not warrant referral for extraschedular consideration and denied his claim of entitlement to a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military noise exposure, and thus grants service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining records from Dr. Davis and any VA medical facility in Arizona where he has received treatment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss manifested in service and has been continuous since service, granting his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hearing loss, right wrist and hand disabilities, tinnitus, and erythema multiforme, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of July 16, 2012.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations to evaluate his bilateral knee disabilities and service connection claims.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is rated at 10 percent, the maximum schedular rating available. The claim for TDIU was denied as his combined service-connected disabilities do not meet the minimum percentage requirement.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling from January 6, 2016. The claim for an initial compensable evaluation prior to that date and a higher rating thereafter has been denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining outstanding records. The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are found to be etiologically related to acoustic trauma sustained in active service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss was granted, with the effective date being July 19, 2011.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is as likely as not a result of service or etiologically related to in-service acoustic trauma. The Veteran's PTSD and bilateral hearing loss are also found to be service-connected.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for blurred vision, bilateral hearing loss, and chronic strep throat. The conditions were found to be due to refractive error without eye disease, sensorineural hearing loss not meeting VA criteria for a disability, and no diagnosed condition of chronic strep throat.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the lack of in-service records and the need for an addendum opinion considering his lay statements about noise exposure during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and diabetes mellitus were not incurred or aggravated during his active service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service onset or continuity of symptomatology, nor is there any indication of exposure to herbicides.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA outpatient records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination. The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss on a secondary basis, entitlement to a total rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disability, and whether separate ratings are warranted for depressive disorder with traumatic brain injury residuals, to include vision loss, will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be the result of acoustic trauma sustained during his active service, warranting service connection.