Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not establish a current disability, and thus denied this issue.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss is related to his period of service, and thus grants service connection for this disability.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability and diabetes mellitus with bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy are not entitled to higher ratings as the evidence does not support a finding of additional impairment or complications warranting higher ratings.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated by service, and is therefore denied.,PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency prior to February 25, 2009. The rating assigned for PTSD has been granted but remains at 30%.,Effective from February 1, 2012, the Veteran's PTSD resulted in deficiencies in most areas due to symptoms including suicidal ideation and difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances. A higher 70% rating is now granted.,The Veteran meets criteria for a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's tables for rating hearing loss disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, with the hearing loss being attributed to in-service noise exposure. The tinnitus is considered secondary to the service-connected hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is manifested by level I hearing impairment in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable rating. The Board finds that an initial compensable rating for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not warranted.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss was not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of a chronic disease in service and the audiometric testing did not show significant threshold shifts over time. The Board finds that the weight of the evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to unavailability of service treatment records and incomplete VA treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss disability and hypertension with triple bypass, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to her military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied. The Board found no evidence of a chronic disability during or within one year after service, and the VA examiner opined that the current disabilities are not related to active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any currently present heart disability. The issues on appeal will be readjudicated after all necessary steps are taken.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss and determined that new and material evidence has been received. The Board also found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his military noise exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination and a videoconference hearing. The Veteran's claim of service connection for peripheral vestibular disorder and its secondary relationship to bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's pes planus did not increase in severity during service and denied his claim for service connection. The other issues were either withdrawn or addressed.

The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing bilateral hearing loss did not worsen during service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 20 percent since March 2010. The Board found that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether a higher rating should be assigned, and thus denied an increased rating.

The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD. Insomnia and headaches were not continuous or recurrent in service or since separation; tinnitus was not diagnosed within one year of separation from service; and there is no medical nexus between the current insomnia, headaches, or tinnitus and either active service or a service-connected disability.,The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss. The preexisting left ear hearing loss at enlistment was not permanently worsened by active service.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis has been rated at 30% since May 15, 2011, and he is now entitled to a combined 60% disability rating for his foot injuries.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a thoracolumbar disability, but remanded to obtain additional development. The claims for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, right shin splints, left shin splints, and left knee injury are also remanded.