Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a hearing loss disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the worsening of his bilateral hearing loss condition, and he has requested a new examination. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss had their onset during service, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not manifest during service or to a compensable degree within one year of separation, and it is not causally related to his military service.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding the evaluation of his bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss was granted, and the assigned noncompensable (0%) rating has been maintained since March 16, 2006. The current effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current hearing loss disability or residuals of head injury, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board determined that the Veteran's allergic rhinitis did not warrant a compensable rating, TMJ was not diagnosed or related to service, and bilateral hearing loss was not shown during service or within one year of separation. Therefore, these claims were denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are now pending. The hearing loss, tinnitus, and congestive heart failure disabilities were previously denied in August 2007 but new evidence has been submitted that raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete medical opinions and potential inextricably intertwined issues.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to his inability to attend the scheduled Board hearing. He will be given an opportunity for a Travel Board hearing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no current disability for VA compensation purposes due to lack of evidence of a right ear hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulations. For left ear hearing loss, the Board found that while the Veteran had in-service noise exposure, his considerable post-service occupational and recreational noise exposure outweighed this factor. The Board also noted that there was no medical documentation of complaints or treatment for hearing loss during service, but the Veteran's lay statements were considered credible.,For tinnitus, the Board found that the Veteran reported a 45-year history of tinnitus starting while serving aboard the USS Lexington and attributed it to noise exposure. The examiner opined that it was as likely as not associated with his hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, and the claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulation and therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and scheduling VA examinations. The Veteran's claims for service connection will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 20 percent since September 25, 2012. The VA determined that the increase in hearing thresholds identified on the September 2012 private audiogram warranted a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a left ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes and therefore, service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and is not otherwise related to his active duty service. As such, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.