Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Board has granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, an acquired psychiatric disability (anxiety disorder), obstructive sleep apnea, high blood pressure, and neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities. The rating reduction from 20 percent to 10 percent for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is also granted.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development to determine the combined effects of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to secure or follow gainful employment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 23, 2016 for a 40 percent evaluation for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss as there is no competent or credible evidence showing a worsening of his bilateral hearing loss symptoms within one year of filing his claim.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for hearing loss and finds that a current disability, specifically bilateral hearing loss, is related to in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's account of experiencing auditory symptomatology during active service and since then is credible.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable initial rating, as his current hearing impairment levels do not meet or exceed the criteria for any higher evaluation.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not attributable, at least in part, to acoustic trauma sustained in service. As a result, the Board grants service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for multiple myeloma was granted, and he is now entitled to a 50% rating for his bilateral hearing loss. The decision on the increased rating issue remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right and left ear hearing loss, hypertension, infertility, insomnia, vertigo, and migraines. The decision found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus in service and concluded that the current conditions are not related to military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss does not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable disability rating, and therefore denied his claim.

The Veteran's combined schedular disability rating was 100 percent, and he is contending that he is unemployable due to a combination of these same service-connected disabilities. The criteria for the assignment of a TDIU are not met.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for TDIU and his service-connected disabilities prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a new VA examination and further development due to insufficient detail in the previous examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not caused by noise exposure during military service. The Board finds that the Veteran's current PTSD disability and shrapnel wound residuals are related to his in-service experiences.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability did not have onset during active service, was not caused by his active service, and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) during which he was exposed to noise from weapons training. As a result, service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for hearing loss, PTSD, or a pulmonary disorder. The evidence is insufficient to establish these conditions as being related to service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to his military noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted service connection. The Veteran's left knee disability is denied as not incurred in or caused by service.