Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case to obtain additional records and provide a new VA audiology examination to determine if the Veteran's hearing loss is related to his active service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claims of higher initial ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus before a decision was made.

The Board has determined that there is insufficient evidence in the service medical records to support a finding of hearing loss or tinnitus during service. The Veteran's claim will be remanded for further development, including obtaining his service personnel records and any relevant post-service VA or non-VA clinical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and HPV due to lack of evidence showing a current disability or a link between her military service and these conditions.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to June 1, 2015, and in excess of 30 percent since that date is denied. The issue of increased ratings for the right knee disability is pending.

The Board found no evidence of current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 10 percent since March 4, 2011. The rating is based on the severity of his hearing impairment as determined by audiometric testing and speech recognition scores.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for left ear hearing loss was denied as the audiometric testing did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records and conducting VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any hearing loss, tinnitus, and psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating under the applicable VA Rating Schedule.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable (0 percent) since April 6, 2015. The VA examiner found that the Veteran's hearing acuity and speech recognition scores do not warrant a higher rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and right ear disability to include otitis media with eustachian tube dysfunction are not related to his active service, thus denying both claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and requests for additional medical records, lay statements, and readjudication of the hearing loss claim.

The Veteran's chronic joint disability, including rheumatoid arthritis, and kidney disease are found to be related to service. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not related to service or service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability has been rated at 10 percent since June 27, 2011. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for this condition.

The Board found no evidence of a significant threshold shift between the Veteran's enlistment and separation audiometric tests, concluding that his current bilateral hearing loss is less likely related to military service.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability is rated as noncompensable (0%) throughout the appeal period, and no higher rating is warranted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the percentage requirements for a TDIU, and the evidence demonstrates that he is as likely as not unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation by reason of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss, pulmonary tuberculosis with reactive airway disease, impaired range of motion associated with post-thoracotomy pain syndrome, and tinnitus) precluded him from maintaining gainful employment prior to November 20, 2013. As a result, the Board finds that he is entitled to TDIU based on these service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, degenerative joint disease (arthritis), gout/gouty arthritis, rhinitis, and hypertension. The Veteran's claims for these conditions are supported by credible evidence of in-service acoustic trauma and post-service manifestations of the disabilities.