Hearing loss decisions — 2017

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

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of hearing loss to an extent recognized as a disability for VA purposes during or after his military service.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar and cervical spines, arthralgia of the right knee, peripheral artery disease, and hypertension have all been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is etiologically related to his in-service noise exposure, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected, and he is entitled to a rating in excess of 20 percent for his lumbar spine disability from May 12, 2012.

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

The Board denied entitlement to service connection for a heart condition and hypertension. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was found to have manifested as no worse than Level II in the right ear and Level I in the left ear, warranting a noncompensable rating.