Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. Additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the remaining claims of service connection for sleep disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and a heart condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asbestosis, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension (secondary to diabetes and/or PTSD), alcoholism (secondary to PTSD), joint pain (including fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis) (secondary to PTSD), gastrointestinal condition (secondary to PTSD), initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, and initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for CAD have all been denied. The Veteran's service treatment records are silent for complaints or findings of hearing loss, asbestosis, hypertension, alcoholism, joint pain, gastrointestinal condition, diabetes mellitus, or CAD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depression, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment since April 29, 2011.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for service-connected left ear hearing loss prior to January 11, 2005 on an extra-schedular basis has been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinion regarding the relationship between his dizziness and his hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as 10 percent disabling effective November 3, 2009. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss was previously granted a noncompensable rating prior to July 27, 2009.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his service, warranting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left and right ear hearing loss disabilities had their onset during active service, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings, service connection, and SMC based on housebound status. The decision also noted that there was no confirmed diagnosis of PTSD.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claim has been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are directly related to his military service, including exposure to noise during service. As a result, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA audiological examination to assess the impact of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus on his employability.

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

The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied as his hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA's tables for rating hearing loss disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have current left ear hearing loss as defined by VA, and thus denied service connection for left ear hearing loss.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen these previously denied claims. The Board also found that there is no evidence of in-service incurrence or continuity of symptomatology for tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are related to his military service, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is unrelated to his noise exposure during service. The right ear hearing loss has been consistently shown as Level 1, which does not warrant a compensable rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and denied the claim for service connection for cause of death.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 70 percent, and the Board has found that this rating is appropriate based on the audiometric findings.