Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and coronary artery disease (CAD) due to presumed exposure to herbicides during service in Vietnam.

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

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

The Veteran is granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as these conditions are found to be related to military noise exposure. Service connection for gallbladder cancer is also granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be related to service, with the Board finding that all reasonable doubt should be resolved in his favor. The right shoulder condition claim is pending and will require further examination and evidence review before a decision can be made.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for updated VA treatment records and an examination of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination and review of relevant records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is entitled to service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, as both conditions are found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss. As a result, the Board has dismissed the appeal.

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

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss did not manifest within one year from service discharge and is not causally or etiologically related to service. The Veteran's claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for Meniere's syndrome with hearing loss and tinnitus is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is at least in equipoise with the evidence, and therefore reasonable doubt must be resolved in favor of the Veteran. Entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to a request for withdrawal prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for an addendum to the opinions provided in the May 2016 VA examination report, due to new evidence indicating possible exposure to harmful aircraft noises during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss did not manifest during service or within one year thereafter, and is not related to his military service. As a result, the claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's hearing impairment did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the issues of increased evaluations for his bilateral plantar fasciitis are also denied.,Service connection for coronary artery disease and testicular cancer was not granted as they were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining National Guard service records and VA treatment records. The Veteran's hypertension and left ear hearing loss claims are also being reviewed.

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