Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was granted effective July 24, 2009. The effective date is based on the receipt of a new claim by his attorney in July 2009.

The Veteran's type II diabetes is presumed to have been caused by exposure to Agent Orange in service, and the claim for service connection is granted. The issue of a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral lower extremity disorder, and left foot and ankle disorder are related to service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss disability is denied as there is no current evidence of a disability meeting VA criteria.,The Veteran's claim for shrapnel wound to the face is denied as there is no current evidence of a disability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, but the evidence does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,For the period prior to March 7, 2017, the Veteran's herniated nucleus pulposus L5-S1, post-operative with arthritis, was characterized by forward flexion of at least 80 degrees and no objective evidence of painful motion. This does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, including exposure to noise during military service. As such, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have hearing loss that was incurred in or caused by his military service. Therefore, he is not entitled to service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection.,From October 21, 2010, the Veteran is entitled to a 70 percent rating for PTSD.

The Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes and the Board denies his claim of service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is linked to noise exposure during his military service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure, resulting in a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the criteria for a TDIU, as his combined disability rating is at least 40% and he cannot secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted as service-connected.,Service connection for pain in joints, a blood disorder, and PTSD has been withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, and the Board is dismissing this matter.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a finding of in-service noise exposure and current hearing loss. Service connection was also granted for tinnitus as secondary to the service-connected bilateral hearing loss.,Service connection is now established for bilateral hearing loss due to acoustic trauma during active service and service connection is also established for tinnitus as secondary to the service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, scheduling a new examination, and considering all pertinent evidence.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple issues related to various conditions and service connection claims. The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and ensuring all relevant VA treatment records are associated with the file.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and essential tremor (including Parkinson's disease) are related to his military service. The claim for PTSD is denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosed mental disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the right hip as secondary to a service-connected right knee condition. The claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic otitis media have been denied. The claim for TDIU is inextricably intertwined with the other issues.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence of a claim prior to November 12, 2013.