Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his in-service noise exposure and service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active military service, granting the claims for service connection.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss had its onset in service and is related to service. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current disability of post nasal drip, which existed prior to service but worsened during service.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is denied as he does not have any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is in relative equipoise and granting the benefit of the doubt to the Veteran.

The Veteran's hearing loss has been manifested by a level III for the right ear and level IV for the left ear, resulting in a 10 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Board granted this claim.

The Veteran's claim for hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional VA treatment records.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of April 28, 2011 for the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a Video Conference Hearing with a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional evidence and an examination. The initial noncompensable rating for bilateral hearing loss will be reconsidered.

The Veteran is service connected for several disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction. The Board finds it at least as likely as not that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 70 percent since April 21, 2011. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for this condition.,For TDIU prior to April 21, 2011, the Veteran was found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and chronic bronchitis.

The Veteran's left-sided hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable since December 11, 2006. The VA audiological examinations conducted in April 2009 and February 2012 showed that the Veteran had Level I hearing impairment in both ears, which corresponds to a 0 percent disability rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, including exposure to acoustic trauma during combat. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, pterygium, and right ear hearing loss were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him incapable of obtaining or maintaining employment that could be considered substantially gainful from February 26, 2008 to April 27, 2010.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service noise exposure, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran. Therefore, service connection for both conditions is granted.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, with no evidence of exceptional patterns or service connection issues.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 40 percent from September 16, 2011 to January 30, 2012. The rating is denied for any higher ratings or prior to that date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his VA treatment records from the Martinez VAMC.