Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to ensure proper VCAA notice and compliance, before the claims for service connection can be decided.

The Board found no medical evidence linking the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus to his active service, including noise exposure. Therefore, service connection for these conditions was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus diagnoses are linked to his in-service noise exposure, and thus service connection is granted.

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

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the issues on appeal, including an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, head injury, and nervous condition (including as secondary to head injury) due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating was granted, and he is currently rated at 30 percent for his bilateral hearing loss disability from September 9, 2015. The RO has increased the rating to 50 percent effective July 24, 2013, but not more than that.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss was initially manifested during his military service and the Board has found that he is entitled to service connection for this condition. The issue of an initial compensable disability evaluation for right ear hearing loss remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the criteria for a TDIU have not been met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, which was cardiopulmonary arrest and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is not related to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating, as it did not meet the criteria for exceptional patterns of hearing loss. For TDIU, the evidence showed he had retired due to physical reasons related to his heart condition, and his service-connected conditions did not preclude him from securing and maintaining substantial gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to in-service noise exposure and granted service connection for this condition. The hearing loss disability remains on appeal as it does not have a clear onset during service.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus cause marked interference with his employment as a truck driver beyond that contemplated by the schedular rating criteria, warranting an extraschedular disability rating of 30 percent.,Resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran, the Board has granted a 30 percent extraschedular rating for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus since March 24, 2010.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened and is granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus has also been reopened and is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a video conference hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are presumed to have been incurred as a result of active service, while his bilateral knee disability is not related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, gastrointestinal disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, left knee disability (arthritis), bilateral athlete's foot, muscle pain, joint pain, sleep disorder (sleep apnea), and respiratory disorder (asthma). The appeal was dismissed due to withdrawal of these issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The appeals are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to scheduling issues for a Travel Board hearing. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus remains on the merits.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for appropriate VA examinations to assess his right ear hearing loss, sleep disturbance, bilateral knee, left hip, and back disabilities.