Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70% disabling since June 25, 2008 and the Board granted a TDIU effective from that date.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining STRs and scheduling a VA examination. The issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are also being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, finding no nexus between in-service acoustic trauma and current hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, and tinnitus as presumed due to herbicide exposure. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's sinus condition has been rated at 10 percent prior to July 13, 2011 and increased to 30 percent thereafter. The Veteran is also entitled to a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus did not manifest during service or are otherwise related to active service. The VA examiners concluded that any increase in disability was due to natural progression.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred on February 15, 2012 at Great Plains Regional Medical Center were denied as the treatment was not rendered in a medical emergency and VA facilities were feasibly available.

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

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for left ear hearing loss has been denied. The claims for effective dates earlier than March 7, 2015, for the grant of service connection for head scars associated with post-operative, cavernous vascular malformation with epileptic seizures have also been denied.

The Board has remanded the claims due to a failure to provide proper notice and scheduling of a hearing. The Veteran's new address must be provided, and a video conference hearing must be scheduled at the earliest available opportunity.

The Board granted the Veteran's service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for TDIU, but refers the issue to the Director of Compensation and Pension Services for extraschedular consideration due to his inability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the percentage requirement for a TDIU prior to September 20, 2016. The most probative evidence does not reflect that he was unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right ear hearing loss is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's hearing loss claim. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to determine if his current hearing loss is related to service, including noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss was not caused by service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of service separation. Therefore, service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active service, as there is no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and his military service. The claim for service connection for these conditions remains denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is causally related to noise exposure during active service. The issue of bilateral hearing loss remains pending and will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a video conference hearing. The issues of service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are still pending.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied by the Board. The evidence did not support a higher evaluation, as the objective tests showed improvement in the level of hearing rather than worsening.