Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a retrospective medical opinion from an appropriate VA examiner to assess the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and their impact on his employment. The claim will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted with an initial disability rating of 10 percent. Service connection for lymphoma due to ionizing radiation exposure is granted. Bilateral hearing loss is service connected and rated at 0 percent. COPD is not service connected. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) is not service connected.

The Board found that new and material evidence had been presented to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's pre-existing hearing loss was aggravated during his active duty for training, and therefore service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as the previous examination did not provide sufficient rationale for its conclusions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, back disorder, neck disorder, and TBI have been granted. The Board has broadened the claims to include consideration of various other diagnoses.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is due to in-service acoustic trauma and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was denied. The Board found that the criteria for a rating higher than 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss were not met at any time during the appeal period, and no higher schedular evaluation is warranted.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for stroke residuals, dementia, and hemorrhoids were denied. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was found to be at Level I in both ears, warranting a noncompensable rating.

The Board has determined that additional evidence was received after the SOC and a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC) should be issued.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records and a neurological examination for his claimed left ear disability. The issues of service connection for left ear hearing loss, right shoulder disability, and left shoulder disability are on appeal.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal before the Board could make a decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for lower back disorder, and service connection for hypertension. The decision found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for any of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated during active military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and diabetes mellitus as the Veteran did not present evidence of current disabilities or a link to service.

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

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a right ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes and denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The evidence did not establish a nexus between any current psychiatric condition and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not have onset in active service, nor are they causally connected to active service. The preponderance of evidence shows that both conditions were not incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service hearing loss or tinnitus. The VA examiner determined that it was less likely than not that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus were related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claims for a back disability and sleep disability, to include as secondary to PTSD, have been denied.