Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service and the Board has determined that service connection should be granted.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death. The claims for higher ratings for hearing loss and tinnitus, service connection for MDD, and reopening of the low back disability claim are no longer before the Board.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent from September 4, 2007. The combined rating of his service-connected disabilities (PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and erectile dysfunction) meets the threshold percentage rating standards to be considered for individual unemployability under VA regulations.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not render him unemployable, as he has maintained employment in the past and continues to report being able to work despite his disabilities. The Board finds that a TDIU is denied.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and seeking an addendum medical opinion regarding the Veteran's cervical spine disability.

The Board granted service connection for tension headaches with photophobia and assigned a disability rating of 30 percent effective April 29, 2016.

The Board found that there is no probative evidence linking the Veteran's diverticulitis to his service or any other condition, and denied the claim for service connection. The issue of bilateral hearing loss remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and other issues raised by the Veteran's representative.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo and TDIU prior to June 25, 2014. The Veteran's vertigo was not found to be related to his service or a service-connected disability. For TDIU, the evidence did not show that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable prior to June 25, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining an opinion on the impact of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities on his employability and considering whether TDIU is warranted on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has determined that the earliest date of entitlement for service connection and an effective date for tinnitus is May 25, 2010. The Veteran reported experiencing tinnitus on this date in a VA QTC medical history worksheet.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed as he has withdrawn them.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his disability did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.,For hypertension, prior to June 9, 2017, the Veteran's disability picture did not warrant a compensable rating. Since then, it has been manifested by diastolic pressure less than 110 and systolic pressure less than 200.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 20 percent since April 6, 2009 and remains at that level. A higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his period of active duty service, and the Board finds that he meets the criteria for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or significant threshold shifts. The VA examiner concluded that it is less likely than not that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus were caused by military noise exposure.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pre-existing bilateral hearing loss disability was not aggravated by his active service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for vestibular dysfunction as secondary to his service-connected migraines is granted. The claims for initial compensable evaluation and increased evaluations for bilateral hearing loss are denied.