Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's death was caused by cardiopulmonary arrest, which is not service-connected. The underlying causes of hypertension and interstitial lung disease are also not service-connected on a presumptive basis due to Agent Orange exposure. Diabetes mellitus, while presumed service-connected, did not contribute to the cause of death.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and an earlier effective date were dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of left ear hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted, but the earliest possible effective date is determined based on when he filed his claim. The Board found that an effective date of February 18, 1987, for left ear hearing loss disability and September 2, 2004, for tinnitus are appropriate.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need to obtain VA treatment records and conduct a new examination for his hearing loss and tinnitus claims.

The Veteran's hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating under VA regulations.

The Veteran's petition to reopen a claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board has remanded the matter for issuance of an SOC.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and lower extremity neuropathy.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of a new VA audiology examination for current hearing loss disability, and the need to determine if it is related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure and that his hearing impairment began more than 40 years after discharge from active duty.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 40 percent since July 15, 2014.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss in the right ear was denied. For PTSD, an initial evaluation of 30 percent prior to November 5, 2009 and an increased rating from January 12, 2010 through September 17, 2014 were granted but not more than 50 percent after that date. The Veteran's right shoulder osteoarthritis was rated at 10 percent prior to September 18, 2014 and 30 percent beginning from that date.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for any higher rating under VA's rating schedule.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, including noise exposure. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss, bilateral pes planus, and right foot fracture due to incomplete development. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's case for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion on the etiology of his hearing loss and addressing the propriety of his PTSD rating reduction. The appeal is also remanded to allow the Veteran to perfect an appeal regarding the PTSD rating reduction.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and prostate cancer. However, the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for these conditions remains denied as there is no competent medical evidence establishing a direct relationship between his current disabilities and military service.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and bilateral hearing loss, finding that new and material evidence has been received to support these claims. The Veteran's current conditions are found to be related to his active service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for right ear hearing loss, bilateral hand disability, and higher initial ratings for iliotibial band syndrome of the right knee and tinnitus.

The Veteran's tinnitus is a result of in-service acoustic trauma and service connection for this condition is granted. The Board finds the Veteran's assertions of in-service ringing, even without a contemporaneous notation of such, credible.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable, with a noncompensable rating assigned for residuals of pericarditis.,Service connection for residuals of pericarditis was not granted.