Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been manifested by no worse than auditory acuity level I in the left and right ear, resulting in a denial of a compensable initial rating.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss on an extraschedular basis and his TDIU rating were both denied. The Board found that the schedular criteria adequately reflected the Veteran's functional impairment due to his hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be etiologically related to his active service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran's lay statements regarding the continuity of symptoms of tinnitus are credible. The evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether tinnitus had its onset during service and has continued since service, thus granting service connection for tinnitus.

Service connection for GERD is granted as secondary to the service-connected duodenal ulcer, effective from March 16, 2007. The Veteran's other claims are denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a new medical opinion.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and finds that it is at least as likely as not related to noise exposure during military service. As such, service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The issues of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and entitlement to TDIU are also pending.

The Veteran's service-connected right hip disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The RO has granted the requested increased rating.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and an effective date of May 15, 2011 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's claim for earlier effective dates is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting bilateral hearing loss did not permanently worsen during active service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has not met the criteria for a higher rating at any time during the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Vocational Rehabilitation and Counseling records. The Veteran's TDIU claim will be referred to the Director of Compensation for an opinion regarding extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at a noncompensable level prior to June 21, 2016. From that date until the January 2017 audiogram results, he received a 10% rating for his condition. The Board found no evidence of entitlement to higher ratings.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis since October 8, 1999 due to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including a VA examination and consideration of the Veteran's lay statements regarding his hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has not met the criteria for a compensable rating from May 16, 2011 to September 28, 2015 and does not warrant an increased rating since September 29, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as there is credible supporting evidence that corroborates his lay assertions of in-service traumatic events. The Veteran has a current diagnosis of PTSD and it is related to an event in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with the preponderance of evidence supporting these claims. As a result, both conditions have been granted service connection.