Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA audiology examination and an opinion regarding the etiology of his left ear disorder. The claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for a left ear condition will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as VA treatment records. The issues of service connection for these conditions will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Veteran's tinnitus was incurred in active service and the Board finds that it is related to his military noise exposure. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, while conceded as being due to in-service acoustic trauma, does not have a direct link to service based on the evidence provided.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is due to exposure to acoustic trauma during service. As a result, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA audiological examination and the obtaining of any outstanding medical records. The case will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's hearing loss has been manifested by no worse than level I hearing impairment in either ear, resulting in a noncompensable disability rating. The Board denied the claim for an initial compensable rating for hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to outstanding records, including those from Tampa Bay E.N.T. and any audiology examinations provided by the Veteran's employer.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, post traumatic osteoarthritis of the right shoulder with loss of range of motion, tinnitus, and bilateral high frequency hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on these conditions.

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

The Board has remanded the case for a hearing to be conducted at the RO before a member of the Board or via videoconference.

The Board has remanded the case due to misfiled documents and outstanding VA treatment records. The Veteran's claims for service connection will be reconsidered.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not service-connected, but does find that he had pre-existing left ear hearing loss at entry into service and no significant worsening during service. Therefore, service connection for left ear hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to his failure to appear for a VA audiological examination. A new examination will be scheduled and an opinion obtained regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment during the period of December 14, 2010 through September 9, 2013.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verification of the Veteran's periods of service and scheduling VA examinations to determine if any claimed conditions are related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, bilateral knee disorder, and sinusitis. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claim of service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI), including hearing loss, tinnitus, headaches, and dizziness. The weight of the evidence does not show any diagnosed residuals of a TBI.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was not incurred in service, manifested within one year of service, and is otherwise not related to service.