Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted based on the current evidence.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative disc disease, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence of a nexus to his military service.,Service connection was not granted because the Veteran did not have any diagnosed conditions related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran is unable to maintain substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, and the Board grants TDIU based on this finding.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service connected, but his tinnitus cannot be linked to active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU). The case was remanded multiple times, but ultimately the TDIU claim was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss disability, as well as his earlier effective date claim for major right shoulder shell fragment wound residuals in Muscle Group IV, are all granted. The effective date for the latter is set at February 3, 1971.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of left ear hearing loss for VA purposes, and thus cannot establish service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was aggravated by service, warranting service connection. There is no evidence of mesothelioma or Alzheimer's disease during service or related to service exposure.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, effective the date his claim was received. His bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus claims remain pending.

The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling of VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is etiologically related to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and grants service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The Board has remanded the claims for a lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus to be reviewed by a Decision Review Officer (DRO) due to the Veteran's request for de novo review. The PTSD claim is also being remanded for DRO review.

The Veteran experienced acoustic trauma during service and has current right ear hearing loss. However, the evidence does not show chronic symptoms of right ear hearing loss in service or continuous symptoms since service separation.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent prior to December 2, 2014 and 50 percent thereafter. The Board has also granted service connection for left nephrectomy and uterectomy, sterility, and hypertension on a new-and-material basis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disorders were denied. The claim for a temporary total convalescent rating for right knee patellofemoral arthritis was also denied.

The Board found that a current thoracolumbar spine disability was not present until many years after separation from active duty and is unrelated to service. The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were also determined to be unrelated to service.

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

The Veteran's death was not due to his own willful misconduct, and he had a service-connected disability rated as totally disabling for at least one year immediately preceding his death. However, the Veteran did not meet the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been shown to prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and dizziness associated with his left ear acoustic neuroma had its clinical onset during a period of active service. Therefore, the appeal for service connection is granted.