Hearing loss decisions — 2017

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral tinnitus. The claims for right ear hearing loss, residuals of an allergic reaction to penicillin, and low back disability are being remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of this condition is related to his active duty service in Vietnam. The claim for residuals of sprained right ankle was reopened, but denied as new and material evidence had not been received. Service connection for low back disability and hypertension were also granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his active duty service and granted his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's death was attributed to Acute Myelocytic Leukemia (AML), which is not service-connected. The claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death was denied, and the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and allergies have been denied as there is no current disability found in any of these cases.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new medical opinion based on full review of the record, including his service medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA audiology examination to determine if his current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his period of active duty service from November 1965 to November 1967.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of his claims, including additional VA examinations and the provision of a complete medical history to ensure accurate evaluations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus was incurred and is causally related to his active service, thus granting service connection for tinnitus.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's hearing loss was found to be noncompensable, but service connection for the cause of his death due to diabetes mellitus was granted. The Veteran had presumptive exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining STRs and securing VA and private treatment records. A VA examination is also required to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disorders.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the appellant's military service and obtain his complete medical records. The case will be returned to the AOJ for this purpose.

The Board has granted service connection for all issues on appeal, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his active military service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is granted as the evidence supports a finding that his current disability was incurred in service due to acoustic trauma.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, including considering his lay statements regarding in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the receipt of additional service treatment records that existed at the time of previous decisions. The claims for hearing loss and right arm disability are being reviewed on a de novo basis.

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