Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and inguinal hernia render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his attorney, and thus the case is dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right ankle disorder, left knee disorder, and back disorder on a new and material basis. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypersensitivity to fire ant bites was not granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not related to his service, including as secondary to his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating at any point during the appeal period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his service, including exposure to acoustic trauma while working on an aircraft carrier. As a result, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The case is being remanded for additional development and readjudication due to the need for new medical opinions regarding service connection, increased rating for PTSD, and TDIU.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and a rating in excess of 10 percent for his left hand disability, finding that neither condition warrants such ratings based on the evidence of record.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss did not manifest in service or within one year thereafter and is not otherwise related to service. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable prior to March 31, 2009. The VA Under Secretary for Benefits or the Director of the Compensation and Pension Service determined that he was not entitled to a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss did not manifest during service and is not otherwise related to service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the current condition is related to military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent since September 21, 2009. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for his service-connected disabilities and denied all issues on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability has been manifested by no more than level II hearing in the right ear and level IV in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected due to continuous symptoms since his second period of active service and at least as likely as not related to noise exposure in service.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer with urinary incontinence due to presumed exposure to herbicides during active duty. Service connection for hearing loss, right ear, is not addressed as it was previously denied and the Veteran did not perfect an appeal of this issue.

The Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected due to acoustic trauma in Vietnam. The Board finds the evidence does not support a higher rating for PTSD, as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent.

The Board has found that new VA examinations are needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected right ankle condition and left ear hearing loss. The appeal is REMANDED for these purposes.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic muscular strain low back, depressive disorder, degenerative disease of the right ankle, Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the left knee, tinnitus, arthritis of the right knee, and right ear hearing loss, preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.