Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and medical records from a non-VA provider. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no current diagnosis. The Board also found that the Veteran's PTSD did not render him unable to engage or retain substantially gainful employment from June 1, 2012.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The Board found that the September 2008 rating decision denying service connection for bilateral hearing loss is final, and no new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen this claim.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to outstanding VA treatment records and need for additional examinations. The appeals are now pending again.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are at least as likely as not related to his military service, including exposure to noise during service. The claims for service connection have been granted.

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 Veteran's current depression is caused by his active duty service and he meets the criteria for a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C.A § 1151 for residuals of left ear surgery because there is no probative evidence that the worsened left ear hearing loss or vertigo resulted from carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or an event not reasonably foreseeable.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is granted as service-connected, and his bilateral hearing loss is not compensably rated.

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 her military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and left and right ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to in-service noise exposure. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) is denied as there is no verified stressor.

The Veteran's sensorineural hearing loss in the right ear was granted service connection. The Veteran's angular cheilitis claim was denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no current diagnosis of a hearing disability for VA purposes.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for his bilateral hearing loss disability was denied as the evidence did not support a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was incurred during service, and the Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding this claim. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete development, including scheduling of VA examinations and obtaining medical records. The issues on appeal include service connection for various orthopedic, respiratory, psychiatric, and dermatological conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 50 percent since June 18, 2013. The Board found that the disability did not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating prior to January 21, 2015 and in excess of 10 percent thereafter for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the lack of clarity regarding the type of speech recognition test used during his private audiological examinations.