Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss existed prior to his active duty service and was not aggravated by service, thus denying the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not make him permanently bedridden or unable to care for his daily needs without requiring the regular aid and attendance of another person. The Veteran does not have a single service-connected disability rated at 100 percent with separate service-connected disabilities ratable at 60 percent or better, nor is he permanently confined to his immediate premises as a result of service-connected disabilities. Therefore, the criteria for SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person or by reason of being housebound have not been met.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss was noted at the time of his entry into service and did not worsen during his active duty, thus denying service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Board videoconference hearing. The issues of service connection and rating for various conditions are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine if his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, including in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is determined to be the result of noise exposure during active military service, and therefore service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to service, and therefore denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. No service connection decisions were made for the claimed conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Board found that there was no evidence showing a nexus between these conditions and his military service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is due to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are not related to his in-service noise exposure, thus denying service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a Statement of the Case on issues related to service connection and reopening claims.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his disability did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating prior to December 23, 2014, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability in his right ear, and the VA examiner found that any hearing loss or tinnitus was not related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for service connection as there was no evidence of a nexus between his in-service noise exposure and current hearing loss.

The Veteran's initial rating of 30 percent for PTSD was granted, effective April 22, 2011. The Board found that his symptoms prior to June 8, 2012, did not warrant a higher rating due to moderate impairment in occupational and social functioning. Since June 8, 2012, the Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50 percent, reflecting significant impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining clarification on a November 1995 hearing examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The scar to the right cheek was not rated higher than 10 percent, bilateral hearing loss was not rated higher than noncompensable prior to March 18, 2015, and there is no evidence of a direct or presumptive relationship between his claimed conditions and active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and neurodermatitis of the hands was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of entitlement to a compensable rating for either condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating prior to April 1, 2009, and subsequently found no improvement in his condition from April 1, 2009. The right knee, congenital fifth toe deformities, ischemic heart disease, and hypertension claims were also denied.