Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes, and therefore service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the unavailability of his service treatment records, noise exposure during service, and the need for a new VA opinion.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine if his service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's hearing loss is rated at 10 percent prior to November 14, 2016 and in excess of 10 percent thereafter. The Board found that the evidence did not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not result from service, as there was no evidence of noise exposure during service and the onset of his hearing loss occurred decades after separation.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA medical records and a new hearing loss examination. The Veteran's claim will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's claim for an automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment, or for adaptive equipment only, is denied as he does not meet the criteria for 'permanent loss of use of one or both feet' within the context of 38 C.F.R. § 3.808.

The Board has determined that the VA examination and medical opinion provided did not substantially comply with the directives set forth by the June 2015 remand. The case is REMANDED for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 30 percent prior to March 29, 2016, and at 40 percent thereafter. The Board found that the symptoms are adequately contemplated by the schedular rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to determine the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss, tinnitus, low-back, and right-hip disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability, rated at 40 percent since August 6, 2012, is not found to warrant an increased rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not warrant a compensable disability rating, and his claim for service connection of sleep apnea was denied as it did not manifest during or as a result of military service.

The Veteran's representative has withdrawn all appeals for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and seborrheic dermatitis, effectively dismissing the appeal.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not related to his military service, as there was no significant threshold shift in hearing acuity at both entrance and separation from service. The Veteran did not report any hearing difficulty during his separation examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to his in-service noise exposure during combat service, and thus grants service connection for this disability.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently assigned a 10 percent evaluation, which is the maximum rating authorized for tinnitus under Diagnostic Code 6260. The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and otitis media with perforated tympanic membrane have not been rated appropriately.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his bilateral hearing loss and updated VA treatment records are needed. The case will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a disability rating in excess of 10 percent, as his audiometric results do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depression, intervertebral disc syndrome of the cervical spine, migraines, and other conditions, have rendered him in need of aid and attendance. He is therefore granted special monthly compensation based on a demonstrated need for such assistance.