Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's lay statements and detailed account of in-service acoustic exposure are sufficient to reopen the previously-denied claim.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 10% prior to July 13, 2015 and increased to 20% from that date. The claims for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and bilateral cataracts were denied as there is no evidence of service connection or secondary relationship.

The Board has determined that a 10 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss is warranted as of August 10, 2012. A higher rating is not granted due to the lack of evidence showing exceptional hearing impairment.

The Veteran's hearing acuity has not been shown to warrant a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.,Right otitis media was found to be non-suppurative and without polyps, thus no compensable rating is warranted under the applicable diagnostic code.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was found to be manifested by difficulty following conversations prior to June 30, 2017.,As of June 30, 2017, the Veteran's service-connected bilateral sensorineural hearing loss has been shown to be manifested by no worse than right ear Level V auditory acuity and left ear Level IX auditory acuity.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been characterized by no more than pure tone thresholds, in decibels, of 10, 15, 20, 35, and 55 in the right ear and 10, 20, 15, 35, and 55 in the left ear at 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hertz, respectively. The Veteran's speech audiometry revealed speech recognition ability of 88 percent in the right ear and 96 percent in the left ear. As such, the criteria for a compensable rating have not been met.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and his claim for an increased rating for bronchitis prior to June 18, 2002 and 30 percent thereafter was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and arthritis in the right hand are related to his military service, but there is insufficient evidence to establish a connection between his right shoulder disability and service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus is denied as there is no current disability found in the record.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied, while her claim of service connection for bilateral tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 20% rating for hemorrhoids was denied. The claim to reopen his right ear hearing loss disability was granted, and service connection for the condition was also granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a stomach disorder. The claim for a left ear disorder is denied as there is no current diagnosis. The claim for a pituitary disorder was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are found to have had their onset during service, specifically in Vietnam. The Board finds that the Veteran is entitled to service connection for these conditions.

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The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear SNHL and liposarcoma are not service-connected as they were not caused by his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, bilateral hearing loss disability, and right foot sensory deficit. The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are found to be related to his service-connected pes cavus. For the entire appeal period, the criteria for a 100 percent rating for chronic adjustment disorder with mixed depression and anxiety have been met.

The Veteran's appeals are being remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence, including VA examinations and medical opinions.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an updated VA examination for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, as there are inconsistencies in previous examinations and conflicting opinions from medical professionals.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is found to be related to his exposure to acoustic trauma during service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.