Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board grants his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's initial claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. His bilateral hearing loss was found not to warrant a compensable rating, while his right foot disorder warranted a 20 percent rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to an outstanding DRO hearing request. The case will be returned to the Board for further review after a DRO hearing has been scheduled or if no longer requested.

The Veteran's request for a computer to assist with communication and recreational activities was granted as it is necessary to enable him to achieve maximum independence in daily living.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for chronic right otitis media and right ear hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not warrant a higher rating under VA's schedular criteria.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to active military service.

The Board denied all of the Veteran's claims, including initial compensatory disability ratings and earlier effective dates for service connection. The Veteran's service-connected conditions are rated at their maximum levels under applicable VA regulations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and left inguinal hernia residuals were denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active service, thus denying these claims.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently manifested by level III hearing in both ears, which does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA disability evaluation guidelines.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus, and thus cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran had exposure to noise during service and his current tinnitus is related to this in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease of the right knee and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the minimum schedular criteria for a total disability rating based on unemployability. The case is REMANDED to obtain an opinion regarding whether he is capable of securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The VA Board found that the Veteran does not have a current disability of hearing loss related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been evaluated, but the claims for increased ratings are denied as there is no legal basis to assign a higher rating.

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise on whether the Veteran's hemangioperiocytoma of the brain with complications was incurred during service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has been rated at the minimum (10%) level, and there is no evidence to support a higher rating based on current medical findings.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a headache disorder that is etiologically related to service and denied his claim for service connection. The issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was REMANDED.