Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, a back disability, bilateral lower extremity disability, and heart disability. The issues of service connection for a TDIU have been remanded.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is etiologically related to his in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for a scar, status post laparoscopy was withdrawn. The Board also dismissed the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no evidence of a current disability for VA purposes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his period of active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current symptoms are related to his active service. The other claims remain pending and will be remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and lower extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran was also denied a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has granted a rating of at least 50 percent for service-connected PTSD, effective March 18, 2008. The issues of entitlement to higher ratings for PTSD and hearing loss, as well as service connection for heart disability and morbid obesity are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims of bilateral hearing loss, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (claimed as a heart condition), and diabetes mellitus type 2. The Veteran's service records show he was stationed in Hawaii during the time Agent Orange testing was conducted there.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma and a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records, provide an updated VA examination, and consider new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the combined impact of his service-connected PTSD and bilateral hearing loss on his ability to work. The issue will also be reviewed for extraschedular TDIU consideration if he does not meet schedular criteria.

The Board finds that the Veteran's preexisting bilateral hearing loss was not aggravated by active duty service. The claim for service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is denied as there is no clear evidence of aggravation during service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of entitlement to a compensable rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss requires additional development and remands the case back to the AOJ.

The Board has remanded the case for an opinion on whether a service-connected disability caused or contributed to cause the Veteran's death, specifically addressing his in-service cardiorespiratory arrest and its potential relation to any heart disorder that led to his fatal myocardial infarction.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the hearing loss claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion. The examiner must determine if his current hearing loss is related to military service, including exposure to acoustic trauma.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral shoulder pain and left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his service in the Southwest Asian Theater of operations during the Gulf War.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as they were not received within one year of separation from active duty, and the effective date cannot be earlier than October 28, 2011.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not shown to be worse than Level II in either ear, meaning that a compensable schedular rating is not warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD with an effective date of September 18, 2007. The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss and eye disorder was denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD prior to August 30, 2012 and in excess of 70 percent thereafter remains on appeal.