Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is not related to his military service, as evidenced by an upward pure tone threshold shift documented during service. The claim for a low back disorder was remanded.

The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus have been denied. The Veteran currently receives noncompensable ratings for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with no other probable basis for these conditions. The claims are therefore granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus with a 10 percent rating, effective January 6, 2011. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is pending and will be addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 80 percent since February 3, 2017.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not related to his military service, as there was no significant threshold shift beyond normal measurement variability and no aggravation of preexisting hearing loss in the left ear. The Veteran did not have a hearing defect at entry into service.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's rating schedule, as his bilateral hearing loss was only rated at 0 percent disabling.

The Veteran developed right ear hearing loss and a reparative granuloma as a result of surgery performed by VA in December 2007. The Board finds that the criteria for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 have been met.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his satisfaction with the RO determination.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss prior to April 22, 2016 did not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The Board has decided to remand the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate medical opinion and potential errors in audiometric testing results at separation. The Veteran's assertions of noise exposure during service are considered, but further examination is needed.

The Veteran's current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss disability is not considered to be related to service, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran does not have bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes. The Board finds that the evidence of record does not demonstrate a current disability of bilateral hearing loss during the current appeal period.

The appellant withdrew her appeals for the claims of service connection for left knee chondromalacia with a history of left meniscectomy, low back strain and degenerative disc disease as secondary to the left knee disorder, chloracne on the back, shoulders, and lower abdomen, and hearing loss in the left ear.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for left ear hearing loss on an extraschedular basis was denied by the Board. The evidence did not support granting an additional rating beyond the current 10 percent assigned.

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

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work experience.

The Board finds the evidence to be in relative equipoise regarding whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is due to exposure to in-service acoustic trauma. As such, reasonable doubt has been resolved in favor of the Veteran and his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right ankle disorder, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, left thumb fracture, inguinal hernia, right hip DJD, and surgical scar, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment for the period from May 9, 2006 to March 13, 2011. The Board has granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis during this timeframe.