Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not related to his military service or his service-connected epilepsy. The most probative evidence indicates that the current condition does not have a direct link to either.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a higher initial evaluation for this disability is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, and his peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities was not incurred in or caused by active military service. His skin disability, hypertension, and sleep apnea were also not supported by evidence showing they were related to his service.

The Veteran's tinnitus and dermatitis of the face, groin, stomach, and mid-section are found to be related to service. The right ankle disability is not currently diagnosed or linked to service.

The Veteran has withdrawn all issues on appeal, including those seeking service connection for various conditions and disabilities. The Board does not have jurisdiction to further consider these matters.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be due to service, with the Board granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the new evidence submitted did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for the above issues, and thus the case is dismissed.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

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

The Veteran's appeals for service connection have been dismissed due to withdrawal of the claims. The claim of service connection for a cardiovascular disorder, neurological disorder, and right ankle disability has been denied. The claim seeking an effective date earlier than November 30, 2010, for the grant of service connection for a right ankle disability has also been denied. The Veteran's claim of service connection for fatigue (manifested by chronic fatigue syndrome) was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted. Service connection for skin disorder and multi-joint pain (fibromyalgia) are denied. Service connection for a sleep disorder (manifested by sleep apnea) is also denied. The Veteran's headaches, right elbow disability, intermittent diarrhea, and right ankle disability have all been assigned the lowest possible rating of 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss disability has been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of this case.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding new and material evidence. The Board then determined that there is at least an equipoise of evidence to support a finding that these conditions were incurred in service.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current right ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be etiologically related to in-service acoustic trauma. The issues of service connection for ruptured left and right eardrums are dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction, and headaches due to TBI were not incurred or aggravated during service. The evidence does not support a finding of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that it does not warrant a higher rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's current hearing loss and bilateral knee conditions are not related to service, as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease. The VA examiners concluded that any current hearing loss and knee disabilities are more likely due to natural aging processes rather than service events.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board has determined that a higher rating of 40 percent is warranted as of February 18, 2015. The claim for an increased rating for residuals of an urachal cyst was not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.