Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, as his lay statements along with other evidence support this conclusion. As a result, the appeal for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected due to the lack of continuous total disability rating for at least ten years prior to his death. The Veteran had multiple disabilities, but they were rated as separate conditions and did not meet the criteria for a single condition that would qualify him for a 100% combined evaluation.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to ensure all relevant evidence is considered in the decision on appeal. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss will be remanded for further action.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are caused or aggravated by his active service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his degree of hearing loss did not meet the standards for a compensable evaluation during the appeal period.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus was determined to be October 25, 2012, which is the date of receipt of the claim.

The Veteran's claim for an initial, compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as his audiometric testing results have consistently shown Level I hearing in both ears, which corresponds to a zero percent (noncompensable) rating.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim and granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that new evidence received since the previous denial supports a finding of in-service noise exposure and continued hearing problems.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and information from the Social Security Administration.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus has been denied as the evidence does not support a rating in excess of the currently assigned 10 percent disability ratings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, related to service. The Veteran's dermatophytosis and bilateral hearing loss do not meet the criteria for an initial compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service. The weight of the evidence does not support a finding that his current hearing loss disability is related to active duty.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was denied by the Board. The Veteran also appealed his TDIU claim, and this decision addresses that issue as well.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to his military service, specifically noise exposure during active duty.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service and has been granted. However, the Veteran does not have a current disability for bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied by the Board, as the level of severity and symptomatology did not present an exceptional disability picture that warranted an extraschedular evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus in January 2010, but reopened it due to new evidence. The Board concluded that there is no medical evidence linking current hearing loss or tinnitus to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his military service, including exposure to noise during service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new evidence received since the last denial raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims. The Board then found that there is at least an equipoise in the evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes and finds that his left ear hearing loss is less likely related to service. As such, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied due to her hearing acuity not meeting the regulatory criteria. The Board is remanding the case for additional VA and private treatment records, including a VA audiological examination.