Hearing loss decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to outstanding private treatment records and deficiencies in the VA examination reports.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for acoustic neuroma, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions from the VA examiners.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for residuals of a right hand injury is granted, with a 10 percent evaluation effective from the date of the decision.

Throughout the appeal period, the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss manifested at worst as Level II in each ear. The Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to in-service acoustic trauma, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The decision on bilateral sensorineural hearing loss remains pending as it was remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion from an otolaryngologist to address the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and its relationship to service. The appellant must provide information about his noise exposure in service and any other relevant treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating of tinnitus and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss are denied. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea is REMANDED to the RO.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer and tinnitus. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction claim is related to his prostate cancer, and the special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ issue remains pending.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of tinnitus had its onset in service. The issue of right ear hearing loss is remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Veteran is granted service connection for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus as these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining additional medical records. The case will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, providing the Veteran with another opportunity to present information and/or evidence pertinent to his TDIU claim, and obtaining a medical opinion regarding the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability during the period from March 30, 2009 to February 24, 2011.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and finds that new evidence received since the last final denial supports a finding of service connection.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection are not properly before it and has scheduled a video conference hearing to address these issues.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA audiological examination to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not found to be related to service, resulting in denial of these claims.,For the wrist disability, a rating greater than 10 percent was denied as there is no evidence of ankylosis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for allergic rhinitis has been reopened, but his request for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss remains denied.

The Board has determined that the VA examination provided in December 2010 is inadequate and remands the case for a new addendum opinion to address the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a new examination to determine the relationship between his vertigo and residuals of a perforated right eardrum. The case will be reviewed again after this development.