Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. With reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran, both conditions are now considered related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to attempt to corroborate his presence in Vietnam for diabetes, and to obtain missing VA treatment records and a new VA examination for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his military service.,The Veteran's lower back disability has been rated as 40 percent disabling, with no higher rating due to lack of unfavorable ankylosis.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability is currently evaluated as noncompensable. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating and concludes that the current evaluation adequately reflects the severity of his condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and low back disorder are service-connected, with no new evidence required.

The case is being remanded for additional development to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and recurrent lumbar strain and L5-S1 disc herniation. The TDIU claim is also part of this appeal.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU effective August 10, 2010, due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities of postoperative prostate cancer, PTSD, diabetes, tinnitus, and left ear hearing loss are reasonably shown to be of such nature and severity as to prevent him from maintaining substantially gainful employment. Therefore, a TDIU rating is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from maintaining substantially gainful employment, and the Board finds that TDIU is not warranted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing. The claims of service connection for various disabilities remain pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to scheduling issues and will be reconsidered by the RO.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for heart disability, diabetes mellitus, tremors, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The evidence did not establish in-service exposure to herbicides or other events that could link these conditions to service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. However, the Veteran's current diagnosis of bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is not related to his active military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.

The Board finds that the reduction of the Veteran's 100 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss to noncompensable effective September 1, 2009 was proper as it was then shown that improvement in his condition would be maintained under ordinary conditions of life.

The VA determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not related to his military service, specifically noting no significant threshold shifts in the left ear during service and no evidence of a hearing disability at separation. The Board concurs with this determination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to assess the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.