Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance or at the housebound rate is denied as he does not meet the criteria due to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus was incurred in, or caused by, his military service and grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, osteoarthritis of the right knee, and osteoarthritis of the left knee are not ripe for appellate disposition. The Veteran's claim for service connection for right spermatocele is also remanded due to a lack of an SOC.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to insufficient development of the record, particularly regarding when these conditions were first manifested postservice. The Board will seek additional evidence from the Veteran and arrange for an audiological evaluation to determine the etiology of his hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss and whether his myalgia of the lower extremities is caused or aggravated by his service-connected left ankle disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not meet or approximate criteria for a compensable disability rating during the entire appeal period.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new evidence received since the last denial. However, the Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his military service.,Service connection was granted for tinnitus but denied for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that it does not warrant a higher rating as his hearing impairment falls within the schedular criteria for a 50 percent rating.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection based on direct service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating prior to June 28, 2015 and did not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent from June 28, 2015.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a more contemporaneous VA examination of his bilateral hearing loss disability. The issue remains whether he is entitled to an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is likely the result of his active service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD has been denied as there is no legal basis to award a higher evaluation. The maximum schedular rating of 70 percent has been assigned since September 4, 2008.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss has been withdrawn prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to determine the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss. The case will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to in-service noise exposure.,The Veteran's skin disorder of the feet, specifically tinea pedis with onychomycosis, is found to have its onset during service.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension. The Veteran's claims are being remanded to allow for additional examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has not resulted in a level of impairment that warrants a compensable rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss was found to be manifested by no more than Level II hearing acuity in the left ear and Level IV hearing acuity in the right ear, resulting in a noncompensable rating. The Board determined that the criteria for an initial compensable rating have not been met.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for service connection, as there was no evidence of a hearing disability within one year after service and the audiometric results during service were normal. The opinion from the VHA supported this finding.