Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and found that the Veteran's depression is related to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus began within one year of active military service and is presumed to be related to his service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux, headaches, and sleep apnea. The claim for PTSD was reopened but not granted due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for residuals of frostbite of the feet, but has granted service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's low back and psychiatric disabilities are being remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to inadequate medical opinion, and the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss remains pending.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are related to his service, including exposure to noise trauma. Therefore, both conditions have been granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to service or service-connected conditions, and thus denied all claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. With reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran, his current bilateral hearing loss disability is considered to have manifested during service and continues today.

The Board has found that the Veteran's current right ear hearing loss disability is etiologically related to his in-service acoustic trauma, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability and that any potential relationship to in-service noise exposure did not meet VA criteria. The Board also noted that left ear hearing loss did not manifest within one year of separation from active duty.

The Veteran's appeals for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and a back disability have been dismissed due to his requests to withdraw the appeal.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active military service, leading to a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted it, finding that there is sufficient evidence to establish a nexus between his in-service noise exposure and his current hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, prostate cancer (due to herbicide exposure), and erectile dysfunction as secondary to prostate cancer. The Veteran is also eligible for special monthly compensation based on the loss of use of a creative organ.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a back disability. The case is now remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records from 1989 through the present, scheduling VA examinations, and readjudicating the claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating as it is currently evaluated at Level I in each ear, which corresponds to noncompensable disability under VA regulations.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The issue of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include with alcohol dependency, is addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's claim for an initial increased rating for bilateral hearing loss from December 9, 2012 is denied. The effective date for service connection of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss remains prior to December 27, 2004.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, including conceded noise exposure. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service onset or causation.