Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the hearing loss and tinnitus claims for additional development due to inconsistencies in audiometric testing results.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities necessitate the need for regular aid and attendance, as he requires assistance with daily activities such as feeding himself, keeping himself clean, and protecting himself from environmental hazards.

The Board has determined that the Veteran currently has tinnitus which initially manifested during active military service and continues to this day. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss prior to March 26, 2012 and for a rating in excess of 30 percent thereafter was denied. The Board found that the extent of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is reasonably contemplated by the VA rating schedule.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability did not manifest during or as a result of active military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, including exposure to noise during service as a radio operator. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sensorineural hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and further development of the evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment from April 30, 2008 to July 30, 2013.

The Veteran's sensorineural bilateral hearing loss has not met the criteria for a compensable rating based on the audiometric test results provided. The VA examinations did not indicate an exceptional pattern of hearing loss or any other factors warranting an extraschedular evaluation.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at least 70 percent since February 3, 2009. The Board finds that the Veteran is entitled to a TDIU rating effective from February 3, 2009.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and all issues on appeal have been dismissed.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 20 percent since August 2010. The VA examinations conducted during the appeal period have shown that his hearing impairment is currently manifested by Level II and Level VIII hearing in each ear, respectively. These levels do not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for a VA examination and further analysis of the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating of his bilateral hearing loss was dismissed by the Board in March 2011. The current appeal is about a TDIU, which has not been adjudicated yet and requires a statement of the case.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining an audiological evaluation and addressing whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of service connection for right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new opinion regarding whether his bilateral hearing loss was caused or aggravated by his use of ibuprofen for treatment of service-connected spine disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and may not be presumed to have been incurred or aggravated in service. The claim for service connection for upper/lower back disability and bilateral knee disability is addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the rating for bilateral hearing loss from 50 percent to 10 percent, effective October 1, 2012, was proper and restoration of the 50 percent rating is not warranted.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and lumbar spine and left hip disabilities, finding that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of these conditions at any point during or prior to the pendency of his claims. The Board also found that there was no evidence linking these disabilities to service.