Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss did not manifest within one year of separation from service and is not related to his active duty service. As such, service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for a left ear hearing loss disability and an increased rating for PTSD. The left ear hearing loss is linked to noise exposure during active duty, while the PTSD is rated at 30 percent prior to January 12, 2016, and at 70 percent thereafter.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether his condition had its onset during service. The heart condition issue and hearing loss rating are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to assess his hearing loss, knee conditions, and neck condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine if it is related to his military service, including the conceded acoustic trauma during service. The current opinion from September 2010 is inadequate as it did not consider the Veteran's post-service occupational noise exposure and his testimony regarding the onset of his symptomatology.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as these conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.,Service connection was previously denied for ischemic optic neuropathy due to lack of evidence linking it to herbicide or radiation exposure. The claim has been withdrawn.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a Board videoconference hearing. The claims for increased ratings and service connection remain pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and left knee condition with residual scars are related to his military service. The claim for a bilateral foot condition is being remanded as it requires additional development.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the failure to readjudicate the case after a March 2014 VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to noise exposure during his active duty service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations to assess his hearing loss and scar conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for hearing loss, post-traumatic stress disorder, and jaw condition (claimed as jaw pop) have been dismissed due to his requests to withdraw these appeals.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss. The claim for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury is granted, but the claim for obstructive sleep apnea and hemorrhoids are denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to review these issues.

The case is being remanded to provide the Veteran with a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The appeal will be re-adjudicated after this additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome of the lumbar spine is not manifested by any limitation of motion, muscle spasm, ankylosis or incapacitating episodes requiring bed rest prescribed by a physician. The Veteran does not have bilateral hearing loss disability that was incurred in service.,There is no evidence showing that the current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss disability is related to the Veteran's active military service or had its onset in the first post-service year.,The probative evidence of record shows that the Veteran's current tinnitus is not related to his active military service and is more likely due to his nonservice-connected hearing loss.,The probative evidence does not show a relationship between the Veteran's nummular dermatitis and service. The condition was present prior to service and no increase in severity during service has been shown.,The pre-existing nasal obstruction did not increase in severity during service, and the surgery conducted during service helped to correct and ameliorate the pre-existing nasal obstruction resulting in improved breathing; no resulting disability is shown.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to noise exposure during his military service, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran is seeking a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss disability and challenges the reduction of his rating from 50% to zero percent effective October 1, 2012. The case is being remanded for additional development.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection of bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's current hearing loss is considered a disability for VA purposes, and he testified as to noise exposure in service and continuous symptomatology since then. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss based on continuity of symptomatology is granted.