Hearing loss Board decisions

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

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his asthma, lower abdominal muscle or groin tear disability, and left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is established as service-connected. The claims for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo are also granted as secondary to the service-connected right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of nose injury with nasal deformity status post septorhinoplasty are not manifested by obstruction greater than 50 percent on both sides, or complete obstruction on one side. The Board finds that the criteria for a compensable evaluation have not been met.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied across multiple issues, including hearing loss and various musculoskeletal conditions. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable evaluation for hearing loss or establish service connection for any of the other claimed disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active duty service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Veteran's spouse is not eligible for an aid and attendance allowance because the Veteran does not have a service-connected disability rated at least 30 percent, his wife is not a veteran who is also entitled to pension benefits in her own right, and he is alive.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable evaluation under the applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss has been evaluated as Level III, resulting in a zero percent disability rating. The evidence does not support a compensable evaluation for the service-connected condition.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his current level of disability does not meet the criteria for any higher evaluation under VA's Rating Schedule.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment consistent with his education, training, and work experience.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with the exception of the validity of the audiogram results in November 2012. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence supports a finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus were incurred during service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating based on the audiometric results provided. The Board finds that his disability picture is not exceptional or unusual, and application of the schedular criteria is sufficient.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss was rated at 20 percent effective June 16, 2014, based on the findings from his June 2014 and June 2015 VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new and material evidence was not received to reopen his claims. The VA examinations did not show a current disability at the time of the examination.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral eye disability (presumed due to herbicide exposure), and PTSD were denied. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the claimed conditions and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current carpal tunnel syndrome related to service, and denied his claim for hearing loss. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his request for withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is rated at 40% effective August 9, 2014. Prior to this date, the disability was not compensable and from May 2, 2011 to August 8, 2014, a rating in excess of 10% was not warranted.