Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional records from private providers. The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending and will be reconsidered after these records are obtained.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss of the left ear and tinnitus. The Veteran served as a helicopter crew chief, exposed to noise from helicopters, tanks, and small arms fire during his military service. His complaints of hearing loss and tinnitus began shortly after a live fire exercise where he was not wearing protective gear. Service connection is granted for these conditions based on direct evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's depressive disorder is related to service and grants this claim. The remaining issues on appeal are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and an opinion regarding the relationship between his current hearing loss disability and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including sickle cell anemia and bilateral hip conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board finds that there is no evidence of ischemic heart disease and denies the claim. The kidney disorder was not shown to be related to service, including as secondary to diabetes mellitus. Bilateral hearing loss was also not shown to be related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, while his hypertension is found to be aggravated by PTSD. The claims for gastroparesis and GERD with Barrett's syndrome have been remanded.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and service connection have been denied. The Board found that no new or material evidence had been submitted to reopen the previously denied claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Reserve service records and a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's claims for these conditions are supported by his credible account of in-service events and medical evidence linking the disabilities to his military service.

The Board denied an increased rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's hearing acuity did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examination results.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss disability is considered, along with his credible statements regarding onset during active service, and it is found in equipoise with the negative medical opinion. Therefore, reasonable doubt must be resolved in favor of the Veteran, and he is granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for right ear hearing loss and granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is a link between his in-service noise exposure and current disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to have onset in service, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current disabilities related to his claimed conditions of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and cold weather injuries of the hands, feet, and ears. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.,Service treatment records were incomplete due to destruction in a fire at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC).

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent disabling, effective January 31, 2017.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as 0 percent disabling.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not causally or etiologically related to his military service, including noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 10 percent since the award of service connection. The VA determined that his hearing acuity did not meet criteria for a higher rating based on the audiometric test results.

The Board has determined that there is at least equipoise evidence for and against service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which are found to be related to the Veteran's military service. As a result, both conditions have been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is causally related to in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition. Service connection for tinnitus was denied as there is no current diagnosis of tinnitus.