Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining audiometric pure tone data from VA treatment records and arranging a new VA examination to assess the severity of his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The issues of entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss and entitlement to TDIU are also being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a right shoulder disorder, back disorder, bilateral knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, allergies, heart disorder, acne, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), have been denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease that would support these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are caused by or the result of in-service acoustic trauma. The issue of entitlement to a compensable evaluation for right ear hearing loss is being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected gout and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are not related to his service, including as due to in-service noise exposure. The VA examiner concluded that these conditions are less likely than not related to service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 60 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The Board has determined that an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is not warranted. Additionally, the Veteran was denied entitlement to a TDIU as he did not meet the threshold minimum percentage standards and there are no circumstances in his case apart from non-service-connected conditions and advancing age which would justify a TDIU.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that this rating is appropriate based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA audiology examination to determine the current severity of his hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss disability was denied. The right knee and PTSD claims are remanded due to incomplete VA electronic file at the time of the October 2014 examination.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is being remanded to obtain a VA audiological evaluation, as well as any relevant treatment records. The Veteran will be provided an opportunity to respond to the SSOC.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed disabilities, finding that there was no direct or secondary service connection based on evidence of record.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, rated at 70 percent disabling, has rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected hearing loss has been evaluated as noncompensable, with auditory acuity levels of Level I in both ears. The claim for an initial compensable rating is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and hypertension were evaluated, but neither condition met the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's schedular guidelines.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a psychiatric disability was denied. The ratings for lumbar spine DDD were not granted in excess of the assigned 10 percent prior to January 16, 2014 and 40 percent from that date. A compensable rating for residuals of right clavicle fracture and bilateral hearing loss was also denied. Prior to January 16, 2014, a TDIU rating was not granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to scheduling issues for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's hearing loss disability is related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability. The claims for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and lichen planus chronicus are remanded.

The Board has ordered a remand to consider additional evidence and adjudicate the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, including on a direct basis as well as secondary to service-connected tinnitus.