Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is at least as likely as not the result of in-service noise exposure, and his claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have any service-connected disabilities for which he is seeking benefits, and therefore, his claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension (HTN), bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are denied. The Veteran's contentions regarding these conditions were found insufficient to meet the burden of proof.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss was denied by the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The evidence showed that, at worst, he had Level II hearing acuity in both ears.

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

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 1, 2015 for a 40% evaluation for bilateral hearing loss as it was not factually ascertainable that his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was 40 percent disabling within one year prior to June 5, 2013.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development and an audiologist's opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, including exposure to loud noise during his time in an artillery unit. As such, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss of the left ear is more likely than not due to a head trauma he sustained during active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II requires restricted diet, treatment with insulin, and regulation of activities. The RO granted a disability rating of 40 percent for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and hypertension have been granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has established service connection for these conditions based on their presumptive association with herbicide exposure during active duty.

The Board has determined 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 onset of symptoms during service. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a back disability, right ear hearing loss, left leg numbness, and skin disability are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,For his right ear hearing loss claim, the Board finds that there is not enough evidence to determine if it was incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional VA examinations and records, as well as a new evaluation of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss as secondary to service-connected headaches. However, the claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, head injury, and left foot bone spur have been denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran is granted SMC based on housebound status beyond December 1, 2012. He has a single service-connected disability rated as 100 percent due to diabetes mellitus and its associated conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and back disability) render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's June 1997 claim did not include a claim for tinnitus and that his September 1997 denial was final.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensably disabling prior to April 15, 2016 and 30 percent disabling thereafter. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted at any time during the appeal period.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain updated VA treatment records and the complete July 2014 VA audiogram results. The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss will be reconsidered based on this additional evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, are not related to service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service noise exposure or other causation.