Hearing loss decisions — 2017

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

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and left ulnar neuropathy/cubital tunnel syndrome were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss or a rating in excess of 20 percent for left ulnar neuropathy/cubital tunnel syndrome.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to missing VA treatment records and an audiogram from May 20, 2014. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered after these documents are obtained.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are etiologically related to his service, specifically his exposure to hazardous noise. As a result, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as his puretone threshold averages and speech discrimination scores do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a Travel Board hearing at the RO in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be incurred in service, and the Board finds that there is at least a 50% probability it is related to his military service. The other claims are remanded for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service, specifically due to noise exposure. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease resulting in hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities and vocational background have not prevented him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to February 12, 2014.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected residuals, frostbite, bilateral feet and bilateral hearing loss disability do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. The Veteran's claim for increased rating of his hearing loss was denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was manifested by impairment of auditory acuity that is noncompensably disabling, and the criteria for an initial compensable rating have not been met.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his time in service, warranting the grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling. The Board finds that the evidence does not support an initial disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's initial claim for hearing loss was denied, and the Board found that a compensable rating prior to April 13, 2017, and in excess of 10 percent from that date is not warranted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 10 percent prior to May 3, 2017 and at 30 percent thereafter. The Board found that the criteria for higher ratings were not met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right ear hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes and therefore, service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected based on direct evidence of a link between his active service and these conditions. The Veteran is granted service connection for both conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his military service, including an in-service exposure to acoustic trauma during basic training. As such, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's cause of death, cerebrovascular accident due to abnormal clotting due to questionable atrial fibrillation, is being reviewed for potential service connection. The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.