Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that further development is needed to substantiate the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, including obtaining post-service treatment records from Mercy Hospital.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as his service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran experienced acoustic trauma in service and had current hearing loss disability. Service connection was also granted for tinnitus, with the Board resolving all doubt in favor of the Veteran. The issue of service connection for sinusitis is remanded.

The Board has determined that the March 2014 VA medical opinion is inadequate and remands the case for further development, including a new examination by an appropriate medical professional to consider the IOM report on delayed onset hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings and earlier effective dates for his service-connected tinnitus was denied as there is no legal basis for a schedular evaluation in excess of 10 percent or an effective date prior to August 21, 2013. The Veteran does not have other disabilities that would warrant separate evaluations.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as potential in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as it cannot be earlier than February 23, 2015.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and has determined that he is entitled to this benefit based on in-service noise exposure. The Board also found that there was no evidence of a nexus between the current hearing loss and service, but as the decision is favorable, it does not address the issue of whether there is a nexus.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss prior to November 10, 2016 and thereafter have been denied. The claim for TDIU has also been denied.

The Board has ordered a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service. The case is being remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for a TDIU as his combined rating is at least 40 percent, but he does not have one disability rated at 60% or more. The adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood has resulted in no more than mild to moderate occupational impairment.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as his most severe hearing impairment is level III in both ears, resulting in a zero percent evaluation.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss, which he attributes to his military service. The Board has ordered additional development of the record, including obtaining VA and private medical records related to his hearing loss.

The Veteran does not have a current disability of left ear hearing loss for VA purposes, and therefore the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss results in no worse than Level VI hearing acuity in the right ear and Level I hearing acuity in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable initial rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current condition was not incurred or aggravated by his active duty and did not manifest within one year of separation.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal via a written statement prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his in-service exposure to gunfire while serving as an infantryman, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 0 percent since the grant of service connection in March 2016. The Board found that his current level of disability does not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.