Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is service-connected as it began during his active military service and persists.

The Veteran's service connection claim for slurring, secondary to thoracic spine scoliosis and lumbar spine lordosis is denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of slurred speech or other impairment as a side effect of his medication. For his thoracic spine scoliosis and lumbar spine lordosis, the Veteran's disability rating remains at 20 percent due to forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees.

The Board denied an extraschedular compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the available schedular evaluations adequately described the Veteran's disability level and symptomatology.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a head injury was denied in July 2004, but new and material evidence has been submitted. The Board finds that the Veteran experienced acoustic trauma during service which may have caused his current hearing loss.,Service connection is granted for right ear hearing loss as it is related to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of left ear hearing loss due to new and material evidence. The case is being remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records, including from Little Road VAMC, and to schedule a VA examination to assess the current severity of his right ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for hair loss, joint pain (reopened), rash, back disability, STD, sleep apnea secondary to PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's symptoms of these conditions are found to be related to his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus, finding that his current tinnitus had its onset during his active duty service. The issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to incomplete information in the VA examination report.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. Affording the Veteran the benefit of the doubt, it is at least as likely as not that his current bilateral hearing loss was incurred during active military service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate examination reports, lack of consideration of delayed-onset conditions, and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 50 percent for bilateral hearing loss and an initial increased rating for right cartilage loss and degenerative joint disease status post total knee replacement as these issues are final based on the January 2013 decision. The AOJ should issue a Statement of the Case regarding the latter issue.

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

The Veteran's hearing loss was evaluated as noncompensable prior to July 6, 2017, and a 10 percent rating thereafter. The Board found the evidence did not suggest significant worsening of his condition.

The Veteran's service-connected Ischemic Heart Disease and Bilateral Hearing Loss render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment due to his physical limitations.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes and thus denied service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a pre-existing condition aggravated by service. The VA audiological examinations did not show any significant hearing loss within one year post-service.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and hypertension were not related to his active service, and denied both claims.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, with the conditions found to be directly related to his military service. His ankle and foot disabilities are also considered service-connected.,Service connection is established for bilateral hearing loss due to noise exposure during active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and denied the claim for an initial evaluation for right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as 0 percent disabling since March 1, 1976. The most recent VA examination in June 2016 showed level II hearing in the right ear and level III hearing in the left ear, which corresponds to a noncompensable rating under Diagnostic Code 6100.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are currently rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 8100. The Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes.