Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have been incurred in service, resolving reasonable doubt in his favor. The issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD were denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further evaluation of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss due to inconsistencies in previous audiological examinations and concerns about professionalism.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully and fairly consider the appellant's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral flat feet. The case will be processed as though the request for a hearing had been withdrawn.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure. The remaining claims have been remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable since June 2011. The VA and private audiometric evaluations have consistently shown Level II or III hearing acuity in the right ear, and Level IV hearing acuity in the left ear, which do not warrant a compensable rating.

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

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to ensure proper development of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining additional service treatment records and conducting medical examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been evaluated as 70 percent disabling throughout the period under consideration. The evidence shows that his auditory acuity levels in both ears are at level VIII and IX, respectively, which corresponds to a 50% rating.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to assess the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as these conditions may be related to his military service. The appeal will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are considered one disability as they affect a single body system. As likely as not, these conditions render him unable to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. This includes obtaining relevant treatment records, arranging for a VA or fee-basis audiologist to provide an opinion regarding the etiology of these disabilities, and then deciding the case based on the newly obtained evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities, meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU as his combined disability rating is 70 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for his service connection awards of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and coronary artery disease. The effective date for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease was determined to be February 27, 2013.

The Veteran's death was caused by a stroke, which the VA doctor opined was due to his service-connected type II diabetes with peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities and medication for ischemic heart disease. The Board grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. However, there is no evidence in the file at the date of death that would have supported a claim for accrued benefits.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied as he does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD. The VA examiner found that the Veteran did not meet all criteria for PTSD and his symptoms were better explained by other diagnoses.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss and his TDIU claim due to service-connected disabilities were both denied by the Board. The Veteran had bilateral hearing loss rated at 50% and tinnitus rated at 10%. His combined disability rating was 60%, meeting the criteria for consideration of TDIU, but he did not meet the requirement of having one disability rated at least 40% disabling.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus, right ear hearing loss, anxiety disorder, and PTSD. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the remaining issues of hearing loss and left knee disability.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to address the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA audiologist.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but denied service connection for hypertension, finding that the Veteran's hypertension was not related to his military service or herbicide exposure.