Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there was no evidence linking these conditions to active service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder and a back disorder. The claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions, as well as the severity of his left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, with the latter finding being based on continuous symptomatology since service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected as it was incurred during his military service due to noise exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 30% from November 28, 2017 to May 7, 2018. Before that period, the rating remained at noncompensable (0%) for the entire appeal period.

The Board has granted service connection for memory loss and headaches as residuals of a traumatic brain injury sustained in service, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected heart disease is rated at 100 percent effective February 12, 2017 and for three months thereafter. SMC housebound benefits are granted from February 12, 2017 to May 31, 2017.

The Board granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, but denied service connection for breathing problems and stomach problems. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is presumed to be due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, left ear hearing loss, and cephalgia were not granted service connection. The Veteran's tinnitus was denied a higher rating, GERD was denied an increased rating, and his lumbar spine disability prior to May 31, 2012, was also denied an increased rating.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have all been denied.,Specifically, the Board found that there is no current evidence of a hearing loss disability or tinnitus meeting VA criteria.

The Veteran's previously denied claims for left elbow disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been reopened. Service connection is granted for all three conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are related to military noise exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and a respiratory disorder, as well as his claim for an increased rating for left ear hearing loss. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as non-compensable due to puretone thresholds of no higher than 33 decibels for the right ear and no higher than 31 dB for the left ear, with speech recognition scores of at least 94 percent in both ears. The Board finds that these results do not warrant a compensable rating.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as non-compensable due to puretone thresholds of no higher than 33 decibels for the right ear and no higher than 31 dB for the left ear, with speech recognition scores of at least 94 percent in both ears. The Board finds that these results do not warrant a compensable rating.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as non-compensable due to puretone thresholds of no higher than 33 decibels for the right ear and no higher than 31 dB for the left ear, with speech recognition scores of at least 94 percent in both ears. The Board finds that these results do not warrant a compensable rating.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been consistently rated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period, with no evidence of exceptional hearing loss. The Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board also remanded the service connection issue for his left foot condition due to insufficient evidence.