Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck disability, chronic fatigue, joint pain, and gastrointestinal symptoms. The Veteran is not shown to have or have had visceral leishmaniasis. Joint pain and chronic fatigue are considered as manifestations of his service-connected hepatitis C.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to her active service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for all issues.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records, conduct VA examinations, and determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's loss of balance is related to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has found that the evidence is in equipoise and reasonable doubt must be resolved in favor of the Veteran, granting service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus.

The Veteran's increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and depressive disorder (MDD) have been denied. The Board has also determined that the Veteran is not entitled to a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he and his representative have withdrawn all claims, including the claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial increased rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected tinnitus is denied. The claim of entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss requires additional development as the most recent VA examination was conducted in 2011 and does not include puretone thresholds at 3000 Hertz.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his military noise exposure, which is granted as direct service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are service-connected.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus, as it is at least as likely as not incurred in service due to noise exposure. Service connection is also granted for bilateral hearing loss, as it is at least as likely as not incurred in service due to noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current left ear hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes and therefore, service connection cannot be granted.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for eczema, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss have been denied as his conditions do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA disability evaluation guidelines.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records, including SSA disability benefits records, private treatment records from Tri West, Johnson City Medical Center, and Bristol Regional Medical, and updated VA evaluation records.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA clinical documentation and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his hearing loss, tinnitus, lower back condition, bilateral knee condition, and skin disorder.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated at 10 percent since December 20, 2012.,Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected due to exposure to loud noise during service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is granted based on the presumption of service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions regarding his TBI, hepatitis C, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and service connection claims.

The Veteran's service connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred during service, as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or manifestation of these conditions. The claim for service connection for both conditions is therefore denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that the disability picture did not meet criteria for a compensable evaluation.