Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his active service, and the claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claims of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and for bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for PTSD, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy of the right sciatic nerve, bilateral hearing loss, and a scar of the right posterior thigh associated with a gunshot wound are denied. The claim for service connection for a right ankle sprain is also denied.

The Veteran's lumbar spondylosis is rated at 10 percent, but the issues for increased ratings are denied.,The Veteran's right and left lower extremity radiculopathy are both rated at 10 percent. The issues for increased ratings are denied.,The Veteran's headaches are currently rated at 10 percent. The issue for an increased rating is denied.,The Veteran's decreased vision in the left eye with optic neuritis is rated at 10 percent. The issue for an increased rating is denied.,The Veteran's status post meningo encephalitis is rated at 10 percent. The issue for an increased rating is denied.,The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not service-connected and thus does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain outstanding service records, verify periods of ACDUTRA/INACDUTRA, and obtain another VA examination and medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed head injury residuals.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for bilateral hearing loss as defined by VA standards. The Veteran's puretone thresholds have never met the criteria for a disability during this appeal period.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's significant noise exposure during military service is sufficient to establish a link between his current condition and his active duty. The issue of bilateral hearing loss was not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran experienced in-service noise exposure, which is presumed to be related to his current conditions.

The Board has determined that the severance of service connection for right ear hearing loss was improper and service connection is restored.

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

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is caused by noise exposure during his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for asbestosis with an effective date of August 17, 2009. The Veteran's claim was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence since his prior denial in July 2012.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of current disabilities within one year of separation from service. The Veteran's current conditions are considered to be related to his civilian occupations rather than military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis and lumbar spine hypertrophic osteoarthritis did not meet the criteria for higher ratings, while the left ear hearing loss was rated at its maximum allowable level of Level I impairment. PTSD met the criteria for a 70 percent rating prior to December 12, 2011, but from that date forward, it did not warrant an increased rating beyond 30 percent. The GERD and hiatal hernia with gallbladder disease were rated at their maximum allowable level of 10 percent.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a hearing disability within one year after separation from service, and the current condition does not meet VA criteria for a disability.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability rated at 50 percent is not of sufficient severity to render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including scheduling VA examinations to address the nature and etiology of his low back disability and the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has withdrawn the appeal of service connection for mood disorder. The claims for new and material evidence for hearing loss and residuals of head injury have been granted, and service connection is established for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. Service connection is not established for left knee disability or jaw disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes, and thus service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to address the relationship between current hearing loss and tinnitus and in-service noise exposure, as well as an evaluation of whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to noise trauma in service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.