Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for hypothyroidism, hypertension, heart disease, and hepatitis C due to new and material evidence. However, no specific rating or effective date is assigned as these issues are still under review.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination to address the etiology of his tinnitus and hearing loss.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss disability is at least as likely as not incurred in service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined, based on the evidence of record, that the Veteran's current diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service. Therefore, service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and a psychiatric disability, specifically dysthymia.,Service connection is established for the Veteran's current hearing loss due to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's stress fractures in the pelvis and right foot have resolved without residuals. The Veteran has a current hearing loss disability in her left ear, but no right ear disability is shown.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disorder and found that the Veteran met the schedular criteria for a TDIU from December 16, 2011.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was consistently manifested by Level I hearing loss in both ears, and his lumbosacral spine degenerative joint disease did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation. As such, an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is not warranted, and a 20 percent rating for lumbosacral spine degenerative joint disease remains unchanged.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional private medical records and clarification of speech recognition testing results.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, while hypertension, a seizure disorder, and peptic ulcer disease are not. The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is rated at 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for lupus erythematosus, finding that it is a medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness presumed related to the Veteran's Southwest Asia service. Service connection was denied for hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a videoconference hearing, and the need to provide him with information about accredited representatives.

The Board has granted service connection for a TBI and remanded the remaining claims due to need for additional development.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of an acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, or a back disability related to service. The claim for service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of May 10, 2010 for the award of a TDIU due to service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus.

The appellant withdrew from appeal the claims of service connection for residuals of a gunshot wound to muscle group XVII and a right leg disability prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are related to his military service, including significant noise exposure during his time in Vietnam. As such, the claims for service connection for these conditions have been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus) are found to preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, thus granting TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is at least as likely as not related to or caused by military noise exposure during his service, specifically his time on the rifle range in basic training. As a result, the claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is granted.

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