Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claims of service connection for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension have been granted. The Board found that the evidence was at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new and material evidence received since the May 2008 rating decision. The Veteran's current diagnosis of bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is considered a disability under VA regulations, and he was exposed to loud noise during service. Resolving reasonable doubt in his favor, the Board finds that the criteria for service connection have been met.

The Veteran's right and left ear hearing loss, as well as tinnitus, are found to have been incurred during active duty service due to in-service noise exposure. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has not been shown to be worse than Level I in the right ear and Level II in the left ear, which fall within the schedular criteria for a 0 percent rating. Therefore, the criteria for an initial compensable rating have not been met.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to obtain additional information and medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

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 bilateral hearing loss disability is found to be related to in-service noise exposure, and therefore service connection is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus in February 2008. The current appeal is about a hiatal hernia, back disability (lumbar spine arthritis), and bowel disability (irritable bowel syndrome and rectal bleeding). These claims are currently being evaluated.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and reopened the claim for a skin disorder. The Veteran's right wrist, hearing loss, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, gastrointestinal disorder (GERD and/or hiatal hernia), and psychological disorder other than PTSD have been found to be related to service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus between current conditions and service. The Veteran's hearing was normal at separation from service, and there is no medical opinion linking his current hearing loss or tinnitus to military noise exposure.

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

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected chronic renal dysfunction with hypertension, status post left nephrectomy with residual scar was granted and assigned an effective date of May 8, 2014. The earlier effective date for the 60% evaluation is not established.

The Board has determined that service connection for bilateral hearing loss is not warranted, and an initial compensable disability rating of 10 percent is granted for migraines. The Veteran's corneal scar with photophobia of the right eye does not warrant a compensable initial disability rating.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether current bilateral hearing loss is etiologically related to noise exposure during military service, and thus grants service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for bilateral hearing loss disability. The Veteran is entitled to a statement of the case regarding his claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic back disability and PTSD, as well as his claim for TDIU were denied. His initial rating for bilateral hearing loss was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is being remanded for a current VA examination to reassess the severity of his condition, and for obtaining any outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar sprain disability precludes substantially gainful employment, and the Board finds that he is entitled to a TDIU.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss must be remanded due to inadequate medical opinion and need for additional VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes during the pendency of the appeal, and thus service connection cannot be granted.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal before the Board could make a decision.