Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to noise exposure during his active duty service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations to assess his hearing loss and scar conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for hearing loss, post-traumatic stress disorder, and jaw condition (claimed as jaw pop) have been dismissed due to his requests to withdraw these appeals.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss. The claim for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury is granted, but the claim for obstructive sleep apnea and hemorrhoids are denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to review these issues.

The case is being remanded to provide the Veteran with a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The appeal will be re-adjudicated after this additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome of the lumbar spine is not manifested by any limitation of motion, muscle spasm, ankylosis or incapacitating episodes requiring bed rest prescribed by a physician. The Veteran does not have bilateral hearing loss disability that was incurred in service.,There is no evidence showing that the current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss disability is related to the Veteran's active military service or had its onset in the first post-service year.,The probative evidence of record shows that the Veteran's current tinnitus is not related to his active military service and is more likely due to his nonservice-connected hearing loss.,The probative evidence does not show a relationship between the Veteran's nummular dermatitis and service. The condition was present prior to service and no increase in severity during service has been shown.,The pre-existing nasal obstruction did not increase in severity during service, and the surgery conducted during service helped to correct and ameliorate the pre-existing nasal obstruction resulting in improved breathing; no resulting disability is shown.

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

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

The Veteran is seeking a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss disability and challenges the reduction of his rating from 50% to zero percent effective October 1, 2012. The case is being remanded for additional development.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection of bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's current hearing loss is considered a disability for VA purposes, and he testified as to noise exposure in service and continuous symptomatology since then. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss based on continuity of symptomatology is granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus is etiologically related to the acoustic trauma sustained in active service. The Board finds that the evidence for and against the claim is at least in equipoise, thus granting entitlement to service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability. The Veteran's current right knee condition is related to his in-service injury, and the evidence supports this finding.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability, hearing loss, and tinnitus did not have onset during service or were caused by service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service noise exposure, and service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board found that the evidence received since the October 2001 rating decision is not new and material, thus denying the reopening of the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected, and he is granted service connection for hearing loss in both ears. The right ear hearing loss claim requires a new medical opinion as the July 2013 VA examiner used an incorrect standard of review.

The Veteran has withdrawn his claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, so the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded to obtain updated treatment records and to schedule him for VA examinations to determine the nature of his current psychiatric, hearing loss, and lung conditions. The Board will also seek clarification on whether service connection is sought for any other conditions.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claims was granted, and he is now entitled to service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claims for tinnitus and perforated eardrums were denied as new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of proving the conditions.