Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and recurrent tinnitus are related to his military service, with exposure to noise during shipboard duty. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether his acquired psychiatric disability, specifically depressive disorder, is related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is found to be due to exposure to acoustic trauma during his active duty service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service acoustic trauma, and thus service connection is granted.

The Veteran withdrew all his appeals regarding the compensable rating for service-connected chronic nonsuppurtive otitis media of the right ear with hearing loss and a rating in excess of 50 percent for service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is manifested by no more than Level I hearing impairment in both ears, and the criteria for a compensable rating have not been met.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in inability to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not manifest during service or within one year of service, and there is no credible evidence linking his current hearing loss to service. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding in favor of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as his pure tone thresholds have consistently indicated Level I hearing in both ears, which corresponds to a noncompensable evaluation under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his active service and therefore grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is granted, with a 30 percent rating for allergic rhinitis from February 29, 2008. The hearing loss claim remains denied and the initial rating prior to December 13, 2006 is also denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated by active service and denied his claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence and a need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or related to active duty service, and it is not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and finds that, given the evidence of record, a reasonable possibility exists to substantiate the claim. The Board also finds that the Veteran's current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is at least partially caused by his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. However, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, and acquired psychiatric disorder are all found to be related to service. The Veteran is granted higher initial ratings for his acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's appeals have been withdrawn. The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a right testicular/groin disability, right leg disability, or lumbosacral spine disability. Service connection for these conditions is denied.