Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his time in service, warranting the grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling. The Board finds that the evidence does not support an initial disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's initial claim for hearing loss was denied, and the Board found that a compensable rating prior to April 13, 2017, and in excess of 10 percent from that date is not warranted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 10 percent prior to May 3, 2017 and at 30 percent thereafter. The Board found that the criteria for higher ratings were not met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right ear hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes and therefore, service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected based on direct evidence of a link between his active service and these conditions. The Veteran is granted service connection for both conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his military service, including an in-service exposure to acoustic trauma during basic training. As such, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's cause of death, cerebrovascular accident due to abnormal clotting due to questionable atrial fibrillation, is being reviewed for potential service connection. The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to assess his arthritis and hearing loss.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before a decision can be made regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection and initial evaluations for various conditions, including PTSD, TBI residuals, migraine headaches, and hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate rationale in a September 2010 VA examination and the Veteran's contention of tinnitus occurring daily. A new VA opinion is needed to address these issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a pre-existing condition aggravated by service. The current diagnoses were not related to military service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his attorney, and therefore the case is dismissed without prejudice.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The RO has not assigned a higher evaluation based on additional factors such as marked interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss disability and a higher rating for diabetes mellitus with cortical cataracts was denied. The Board found that the current evaluations were appropriate based on the schedular criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's TBI is related to his active service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his active service, with the Board granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's hepatitis C and bilateral hearing loss have been reopened, with service connection granted for both conditions.,High blood pressure has also been granted as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and addressing whether his in-service injury was incurred in line of duty. The issues on appeal will be reconsidered after these actions.