Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has decided that a VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran currently has hearing loss disability and whether it is related to service. The Veteran's most recent audiological testing was over five years ago.

The Veteran's claim of an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a VA examination. The issue of reopening service connection for tinnitus has been referred to the AOJ.

The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's 40 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss to noncompensable was proper based on improvement in his condition under ordinary conditions of life.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus did not have onset during his active service, were not caused by his active service, and did not manifest within one year of separation from active service. Therefore, the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of sensorineural hearing loss is related to his military service and credible reports of noise exposure during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions. The Board also found that the disabilities did not manifest within one year after separation from service.

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

The Board denied a rating above 60 percent for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issue of entitlement to TDIU. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at XI in the right ear and VII in the left ear, resulting in a disability rating of 60 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of in-service records and conflicting medical opinions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is rated at 10 percent, and the appeal for an evaluation in excess of this rating has been denied. The Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD due to inadequate examination findings and missing private medical records.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for updated medical records and a more contemporaneous VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment from June 8, 2007 to May 1, 2010.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for adjustment disorder prior to April 10, 2013. A 50 percent rating was granted thereafter. The Board also remanded three knee service connection issues, the hearing loss extraschedular issue and the TDIU issue. From March 13, 2014, a TDIU based on combined ratings of service-connected disabilities is granted.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is granted. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hand joint pain due to potential functional impairment.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate rationale in the VA examiner's opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran needs a new VA examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for traumatic brain injury and service connection for tinnitus were granted. The appeals to reopen his claims of bilateral hearing loss, left ear infection, left ankle disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, and right eye disability are denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, migraine headaches, or PTSD to a degree recognized as a disability for VA purposes. The claims are being remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.