Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active duty service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claims for low back disability and bilateral hearing loss disability, but service connection cannot be granted as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to service. The claim for tinnitus remains denied due to lack of a nexus between the condition and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were received on June 21, 2010. The effective date cannot be earlier than this date as the criteria do not meet the conditions for an earlier effective date.

The Veteran seeks service connection for right ear hearing loss, which he asserts is due to in-service noise exposure. The Board finds that further development is needed to determine if the Veteran has a current hearing loss disability for his right ear under VA regulations.

The Board finds that the issues of whether severance of service connection for PTSD was proper, and entitlement to service connection for various disabilities are currently before it as they are inextricably intertwined with the appellate issues of the effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD and the initial rating assigned for PTSD. The Veteran's period of honorable active service has already been finally adjudicated.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected, as it was incurred during active service. The claim for bilateral hearing loss remains pending and will be further developed.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and a potential worsening in hearing loss since the last evaluation. The Veteran needs another VA audiological examination.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital on February 24, 2012 are not eligible for reimbursement by VA because the services were not authorized and there was no emergency situation warranting non-VA treatment.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a complete record of treatment from the VA facility in Miami and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to assess his left knee disorder, right ear hearing loss, and left ankle disability. The claims will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected, as it was incurred in service. The claim for bilateral hearing loss remains pending and requires additional development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss had its onset in service and is granted. The issue of ischemic heart disease/coronary artery disease due to herbicide exposure remains pending.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA compensation criteria. The claim for increased rating for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome was also denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board found that the Veteran had normal hearing at separation and did not have any complaints of hearing loss during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus, and thus service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability or tinnitus due to service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issues of bilateral hearing loss, varicose veins of the bilateral lower extremities, left lower extremity blood clots, and other service connection claims. The Veteran will be scheduled for a VA examination to address these matters.

The Board has not determined whether new and material evidence was received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and left ear hearing loss. The claims were previously denied in 1985 and 1997, respectively, and are considered final.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for right ear hearing loss has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board denied entitlement to an extraschedular combined rating for the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support such a rating given the adequacy of the schedular ratings and the Veteran's reported work loss.