Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was received on June 27, 2016. As there is no earlier date of entitlement, the effective date remains at June 27, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus have been granted. However, the preponderance of evidence is against finding that these disabilities had their onset during active service or are otherwise etiologically related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, sleep apnea, macular degeneration, and bilateral hearing loss, render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's death was not due to his own willful misconduct, and he was in receipt of or entitled to receive compensation for a service-connected disability rated totally disabling at the time of his death. However, the Veteran did not have a total rating due to a service-connected disability prior to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type 2, prostate cancer residuals, hypertension, tinnitus, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral hearing loss, rendered him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment. His TDIU claim was granted effective from February 1, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for a restoration of a 10 percent rating for left knee instability from January 21, 2015 was granted. The effective date is set to that day.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss was not found to be a current disability, as his May 2017 VA examination results did not meet the criteria for a disability under VA regulations. Therefore, service connection is denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and lower back disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, depression, and hypertension are granted. Claims for right leg disability (claimed as a right shin injury), hernia of the upper torso, kidney disease, cyst of the left armpit, and diabetes mellitus remain denied.

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 hearing loss found to be present is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a right foot injury, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been denied. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the reliability of the VA audiological examinations conducted in 2014 and 2016. A new examination will be scheduled with a different examiner who must provide an opinion on whether the conditions began during service, were noted during service, or are related to active military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the decision on bilateral hearing loss is pending as it was remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, but no higher. The case of left ear hearing loss and TDIU are remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his active duty service. The Board also noted conflicting medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran had a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and granted service connection for tinnitus. The denial of the hearing loss claim is based on lack of evidence showing that it began in service or within one year after service, while the grant of tinnitus is based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and dismissed his claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus. The evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a back disorder and an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent, but does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation. The Board found that the disability rating assigned was appropriate.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to noise exposure during service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. However, the knee condition requires further examination as there are no current VA examinations or opinions regarding its etiology.