Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board denied the appellant's claim to reopen his service connection for shrapnel wound of the left shoulder, bilateral hearing loss, and PTSD due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a new VA examination and updated VA treatment records. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for his ACM with cervical syringohydromyelia status post suboccipital craniotomy is being remanded due to inadequate examination reports and failure to comply with the duty to assist. The Board will seek additional VA and private medical records, obtain a new VA examination, and consider referral for extraschedular evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about the reliability of the Veteran's hearing test results, and a new VA examination is needed to assess his bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeals have been withdrawn, and the issues are dismissed.

The Board has ordered additional development due to an inadequate VA examination of the Veteran's PTSD, which did not address how his service-connected disabilities affect his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is attributable to an in-service stressor and service connection for PTSD is granted. The issue of bilateral hearing loss will be addressed in a separate remand.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss was denied as there is no current disability. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability, defined by VA standards, and thus cannot establish service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for recurrent parotitis is granted. The Board finds that the evidence supports his entitlement to this benefit, as he was treated for parotitis during active duty and it is a recurrent disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his service, as there is no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after service. The foot problems and skin disorder have not been evaluated for service connection due to lack of a VA examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to have its onset during service and is granted service connection.

The Veteran withdrew all claims that were on appeal, including the ones for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for right ear hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.,The Veteran's TDIU claim, which is part of his appeal for an increased rating for head trauma residuals, has been granted effective November 30, 2009.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability has been reopened, and he is now entitled to the maximum schedular rating of 10%.,His initial tinnitus rating remains at 10%, as it is the highest available under VA regulations. The Board did not address his request for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with noise exposure being a significant factor.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his service-connected bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are service-connected, with at least an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence supporting this determination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of right ear hearing loss or residuals of nose injury for VA purposes, and thus service connection is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI). The other issues, including reduction of the disability rating for posttraumatic headaches and entitlements related to PTSD and TDIU, are pending.

The Board finds that the Veteran's cause of death, listed as acute respiratory failure due to COPD, was not caused or substantially contributed to by any service-connected condition. The appellant's claim for a heart disability in service is unsubstantiated and speculative.