Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not due to, the result of, or aggravated by his service-connected seizure disorder medication. Therefore, these claims for secondary service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus is rated at 50 percent, effective from the date of his claim. The Board found no evidence to support a higher rating for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his in-service exposure to noise, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the issues of entitlement to a compensable initial rating for calcific tendinitis of the left shoulder and entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has determined that further development is needed before the claims can be decided, including obtaining VA treatment records and private eye institute records.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right ankle instability, left ankle instability, and bilateral pes planus with bilateral calcaneal spurs contributed substantially or materially to his cause of death. The Board finds that these conditions alone are sufficient for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1310.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is considered a subsequent manifestation of his already service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with osteoarthritis.

The Veteran's service-connected postoperative chronic diarrhea is currently rated at the maximum allowable rating of 30 percent, and no higher.,For the period prior to May 1, 2014, his bilateral hearing loss disability was rated at 10 percent. From May 1, 2014, it has been rated at 30 percent.

The Board found no evidence of a current right ear hearing loss disability that was incurred or aggravated by service, and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection. For his left ear hearing loss, the Board determined that the assigned noncompensable rating adequately reflects his symptoms as contemplated by the rating schedule.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence of aggravation during service, and the conditions pre-existed entry into service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new examination and additional records.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are due to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to unclear in-service audiometric results and the need for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are related to his military service, including exposure to loud noise during active duty. The evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions began during or are otherwise related to his service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his in-service noise exposure. The TDIU claim is remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with these decisions.

The Veteran's claim for SDVI/RH under 38 U.S.C. § 1922(a) was denied because the application was not received within two years of his service connection being granted, and he did not have a recognized mental incompetence that would have tolled the application period.

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

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus disabilities have prevented him from securing or following any substantially gainful employment for the entire period on appeal.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but remanded to obtain a medical opinion regarding whether his current hearing loss is related to military noise exposure. The underlying issue of entitlement to service connection remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are etiologically related to acoustic trauma sustained in active service, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.