Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to insufficient information about the Veteran's periods of active duty.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration. The Veteran's death is noted, but no substitution of claimant has been adjudicated yet.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are rated at their maximum levels. The Veteran's breathing problems and diabetes mellitus are remanded for further review.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss and remanded both issues of entitlement to service connection for left and right knee disabilities. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected hearing loss and knee disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's in-service acoustic trauma and persistent hearing loss since separation meet the criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but dismissed the appeal regarding tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed with respect to the issue of an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus. The claims for service connection for Bell's palsy and PTSD are reopened, but denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or a pre-existing condition.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a right shoulder disorder, bilateral knee disorder, hypertension, heart disorder, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus have been granted. The claim for dysuria remains pending.

The claim for service connection for a back disability is reopened, but the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, type II, and erectile dysfunction are denied.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is considered service-connected as it was incurred during his military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA's criteria for hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about the validity of previous audiometric test results for rating purposes. The Veteran will be scheduled for a new VA audiological examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected, while his left ear hearing loss and right knee disability are denied. The Board has also remanded the cases for further development.,Service connection for a lower back disability and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, dermatitis, a lumbar spine disorder, sciatica of the left lower extremity, and sciatica of the right lower extremity due to inextricably intertwined issues.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and deviated septum as there is no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to in-service noise exposure. The claims were reopened due to new evidence submitted since the previous denial.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his claimed disabilities, particularly those related to a motor vehicle accident during service. The Veteran is required to provide records of any treatment he received since service and undergo VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his current disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period, and his claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's disability rating for bilateral hearing loss was reduced from 60 percent to 20 percent, effective November 1, 2017. The reduction is upheld as supported by the evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal of the issue regarding an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus has been dismissed due to his withdrawal. The issues of entitlement to a compensable evaluation for left ear hearing loss and service connection for right ear hearing loss have been remanded.