Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The Board found that the Veteran had in-service noise exposure and credible testimony of continuous symptoms since service, which are sufficient to establish a nexus between his current condition and service.

The Board has reopened the claim for left paravertebral muscle pull and granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability as secondary to service-connected knee disabilities. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are also found to be related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service event, injury, or disease that would support the claims.

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected disabilities is 90 percent, which meets the criteria for a TDIU. The Board has granted this claim.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his hearing impairment did not meet the criteria for any higher evaluation under VA's rating schedule.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss was evaluated at a 30 percent rating, and the Board found that no higher rating was warranted. The claim for reopening of claims for PTSD, cardiovascular disease (including hypertension), memory loss, and cold injuries to the face, upper extremities and lower extremities, to include arthritis of the ankles, knees, elbows, feet and hands is denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and his request for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was also denied. The TDIU claim is remanded due to lack of information regarding employment status.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a higher initial rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and bilateral hearing loss, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen his previously denied claims. The Board also found that there was no link between the current disabilities and military service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as non-compensable, with pure tone thresholds of up to 55 decibels in the right ear and up to 60 decibels in the left ear. The Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his disability.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss did not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment for the period of February 20, 2013, through April 22, 2015.

The Veteran was found to be unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of service-connected disabilities prior to November 15, 2012.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not related to his military noise exposure and denied service connection for this condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is at least as likely as not related to his active service, including noise exposure during military service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate opinions regarding his hearing loss, tinnitus, and traumatic brain injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo. The evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus that is related to his active duty service. The evidence shows no in-service hearing loss and no significant threshold shift in hearing, with normal audiometric results at separation from service.

The Board has ordered a new VA examination to address whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, including noise exposure during service.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and found that new and material evidence has been presented. However, the Board denied the underlying claim as there is no competent medical evidence showing a nexus between the Veteran's current hearing loss disability and his active service.