Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes and his OSA is not attributable to service. Additionally, hypertension was not manifest in service or within one year of service and is not otherwise attributable to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has been rated as noncompensable (0%) throughout the appeal period. The VA examinations and other evidence of record do not support a higher rating.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Board finds that there is an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence, with the private medical opinion establishing a link between the Veteran's hearing loss and in-service acoustic trauma, and the April 2012 VA examiner linking his tinnitus to his hearing loss. Therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran has been diagnosed with hypertension, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Board grants service connection for hypertension under the presumption of chronicity based on in-service exposure to acoustic trauma.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during active service, and thus grants service connection for tinnitus. The issue of bilateral hearing loss remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and his TDIU claim was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and lung disorder are not related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's sleep apnea was not related to service and denied his claim for service connection. The hearing loss issue remains pending as it requires additional VA examination.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied prior to September 12, 2011. However, beginning on that date, the Veteran is now entitled to a 10% disability rating for his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable evaluation, as his pure tone thresholds do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's auditory disability rating schedule.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability has been rated as noncompensable since April 18, 2011. The VA examinations have consistently shown that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under the applicable VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent effective February 13, 2009. Hearing loss of the right ear is service connected and hearing loss of the left ear warrants a non-compensable rating.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 70 percent since February 25, 2010. The Board finds that the objective audiometric testing results do not support an increased rating for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was evaluated as zero percent disabling in all four audiometric examinations conducted during the appeal period. The Board determined that a compensable rating is not warranted based on these evaluations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is found to be related to service exposure, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not prevented him from engaging in substantially gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an esophageal disorder, a left leg disability, and bilateral hearing loss. The evidence does not show current disabilities at any time during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a headache disorder (secondary to tinnitus), and an increased rating for his left great toe disability were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for bilateral hearing loss, and that there was insufficient medical opinion linking the current conditions to service.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions, including GI disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, facial nerve paralysis, panic disorder, and coronary artery disease. The decision found that these disabilities were not related to service.

The case is REMANDED to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) for additional development and readjudication.