Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted and rated at 50 percent since December 21, 2011. Right ear hearing loss disability is related to service but the status of left ear hearing loss disability remains unknown.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA audiology examination to address the Veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus. The issues have been reopened due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected disabilities and whether they render him unable to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a video conference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently evaluated at 20 percent, which represents the maximum schedular evaluation allowed under Diagnostic Code 6100. The Veteran's tinnitus is assigned a maximum schedular evaluation of 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 6260 and does not warrant referral for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not shown in service or for many years thereafter, and the evidence does not support a finding that they are related to service. Therefore, the claims for service connection are denied.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability has been rated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period. The VA examinations and audiometric tests have consistently shown a level III hearing impairment, which does not warrant a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claim for higher initial ratings for bilateral hearing loss prior to February 21, 2012, and a rating in excess of 10 percent since that date was denied. The evidence did not show the disability warranted a compensable or greater rating.

The Board denied the appellant's claims of service connection for various conditions, finding that none were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable, with the average puretone threshold in both ears being below 41 decibels at frequencies from 500 to 4000 Hertz.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability had its onset during a period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling an audiological examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have hearing loss or tinnitus that is attributable to service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a supplemental opinion from an audiologist regarding whether tinnitus is related to service or secondary to hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule a VA audiological examination. The issues of entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss and entitlement to a compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss are pending.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded for additional examinations and development of his service-connected disabilities, including the effects on his employment. The RO must also adjudicate any increased rating claims related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran does not have prostate cancer that is the result of disease or injury incurred in or aggravated during active military service. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was found to be normal for VA benefit purposes with word discrimination scores above 90%.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing service treatment records and requests for additional examination reports.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is attributable to acoustic noise trauma during his active military service, and the Board finds that service connection for this condition is warranted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examinations. The claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, and skin condition will be adjudicated again based on the new evidence.