Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus is rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum allowed. The VA examiner found no impact of bilateral hearing loss on his activities of daily life and work. There is no current diagnosis related to his hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, including for ischemic heart disease presumed related to herbicide exposure during his service in Thailand. The left shoulder disorder was not found to be service-connected due to lack of evidence showing it was incurred or aggravated by service. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and erectile dysfunction was also denied. The Veteran's claim for TDIU was not addressed as the issue is related to a different claim.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim, and denied his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no link between his current condition and military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be causally related to in-service acoustic trauma, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is determined to be related to in-service noise exposure and service connection is granted.

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

The Veteran's appeal was denied as there is no evidence of a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to December 23, 2015 or a schedular rating in excess of 10 percent from that date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for loss of vision, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision found that new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim for loss of vision. For hearing loss and tinnitus, the Board determined there was no in-service injury or disease, and the time gap between service and onset made it less likely than not that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. This includes obtaining service treatment records, SSA records, and an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current conditions and his military noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, an acquired psychiatric disability (anxiety disorder), obstructive sleep apnea, high blood pressure, and neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities. The rating reduction from 20 percent to 10 percent for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is also granted.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development to determine the combined effects of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to secure or follow gainful employment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 23, 2016 for a 40 percent evaluation for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss as there is no competent or credible evidence showing a worsening of his bilateral hearing loss symptoms within one year of filing his claim.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for hearing loss and finds that a current disability, specifically bilateral hearing loss, is related to in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's account of experiencing auditory symptomatology during active service and since then is credible.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable initial rating, as his current hearing impairment levels do not meet or exceed the criteria for any higher evaluation.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not attributable, at least in part, to acoustic trauma sustained in service. As a result, the Board grants service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for multiple myeloma was granted, and he is now entitled to a 50% rating for his bilateral hearing loss. The decision on the increased rating issue remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right and left ear hearing loss, hypertension, infertility, insomnia, vertigo, and migraines. The decision found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus in service and concluded that the current conditions are not related to military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss does not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable disability rating, and therefore denied his claim.

The Veteran's combined schedular disability rating was 100 percent, and he is contending that he is unemployable due to a combination of these same service-connected disabilities. The criteria for the assignment of a TDIU are not met.