Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure, and thus service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted TDIU benefits.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating for PTSD, service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, and service connection for tinnitus were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his military service, including combat exposure during service in Vietnam. As such, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial compensable evaluations for bilateral hearing loss, left ring finger fracture, status post left ankle distal fibula fracture, right foot hallux valgus, and left foot hallux valgus were denied. The Veteran is not shown to have a disability manifested by bilateral hearing loss for VA compensation purposes. For the service-connected status post left ankle distal fibula fracture, an initial 10 percent rating was granted effective October 2010.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations. The issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, and TDIU are inextricably intertwined and must be addressed together.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations and treatment records.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for hearing loss of the right ear and granted it, finding that new evidence received since the May 1978 denial supports the claim.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability was reduced from 40 percent to 30 percent effective May 7, 2012. The Board has restored the original 40 percent rating as there is no evidence of material improvement in his condition.

The Board has found that the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the right knee had its onset in service and granted service connection for this condition. The issue of entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss is addressed separately.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for a bilateral hand disability has been withdrawn prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent. The criteria for an increased rating are not met.

The Veteran's initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss remains denied as his audiometric testing results do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was evaluated as noncompensable prior to February 27, 2012 and as 10 percent disabling from that date until October 10, 2014. From October 11, 2014, the disability rating remained at 10 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and are not otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, low back disorder, and bilateral foot disorder have been granted. The evidence supports these findings.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Director of Compensation found that entitlement to an extraschedular evaluation for TDIU was not warranted.