Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional substantive development, including scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's chronic otitis of the left ear and left ear hearing loss. The issues of service connection for both conditions are inextricably intertwined.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current left ear hearing disability for VA purposes and therefore, service connection is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not meet the criteria for service connection, as there was no evidence of a current disability in service or at separation. The Board also noted that the onset of his tinnitus coincided with his sudden hearing loss, which was attributed to an idiopathic condition rather than military acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 10 percent prior to August 7, 1973 based on the separation examination results.

The Veteran's appeal of the increased rating claim for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. The Board grants service connection for vertigo, finding that it had its onset during active service and is related to his service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus was denied as there is no credible evidence of its onset during active service or within one year after discharge.,The Veteran's gout has been rated at 20% since May 2008, and the Board found that it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on symptom combinations productive of definite impairment of health.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, an acquired mental disorder other than PTSD (claimed as anxiety attacks), OSA, and a higher initial rating for diabetes mellitus. The RO found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development of his stressor reports and other relevant records.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions. The Veteran is asked to provide clarification on when his tinnitus began, and a supplemental VA examination will be conducted by an audiologist who must consider all relevant evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss disability and erectile dysfunction were denied. The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal of the erectile dysfunction issue.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine condition, bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression and anxiety), a seizure disorder, and migraine headaches. The effective date of any future grant of service connection would be determined based on when the application was filed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and therefore grants a total disability rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes, and thus denied his claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for a clarifying medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss was granted, and the effective date of this decision is December 1, 2008.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise, and therefore service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's in-service head injury and its potential impact on his current hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability has not resulted in a compensable evaluation during the appeal period, as his hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for an exceptional pattern of hearing impairment. The noncompensable rating assigned under Diagnostic Code 6100 adequately reflects the Veteran's functional limitations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including cold injuries to his extremities and hearing loss, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the VA examination and opinion are inadequate to determine the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The case is therefore REMANDED for a new VA examination and opinion.