Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and respiratory disability due to additional development being necessary.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, low back disorder, cervical spine disorder, headaches, and prostate disorder. Service connection is granted for all conditions except prostate disorder due to lack of evidence linking it to herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded two issues: service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and the evaluation of bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's diabetes is related to his in-service diet, and he contends that it started during service due to hyperlipidemia. For the hearing loss issue, additional symptoms such as vertigo, nausea, lightheadedness, and spots before his eyes are also being evaluated.

The Veteran's appeals for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were dismissed due to his death during the appeal process.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the effective dates for awards of service connection were not granted earlier than specified.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for impetigo and folliculitis, PTSD, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and allergic rhinitis were denied. The appeals for higher initial ratings for PTSD prior to March 16, 2016; an initial compensable rating for tinnitus; and initial compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss and allergic rhinitis are also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee osteoarthritis, arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, and bilateral hearing loss due to incomplete examinations and lack of consideration of relevant medical history.

The Board has determined that the VA examiner's opinion is based on an inaccurate factual premise and thus remanded for further review. The Veteran needs to provide all of his VA treatment records, particularly from Mann-Grandstaff VAMC in Spokane, Washington.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss should be remanded due to incomplete development and consideration.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the Veteran is currently employed as a maintenance engineer at St. Francis Medical Center, which does not render him unemployable due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for residuals of a right foot/ankle fracture and tinnitus are granted. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected due to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is denied as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a link to service.,The Veteran's right and left knee replacements are remanded due to the absence of continuity of symptomatology from service and lack of explanation regarding claimed in-service injuries.,The Veteran's hypertension, chronic renal disease, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia are remanded as they may be related to his multiple myeloma. The claims for these conditions will be deferred pending further development.,The Veteran's multiple myeloma is remanded due to the absence of a dose estimate from VA’s Under Secretary for Health regarding ionizing radiation exposure during service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as his combined disability rating does not meet the schedular criteria for a total disability rating, and there is no evidence that he is unable to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.

Service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, and hypertension is denied. The claim for service connection for tinnitus and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD and major depressive) is remanded.,The TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined with the claims for service connection being remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD, left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and left knee disorder are being remanded for further evaluation. The initial rating for PTSD is granted at 50 percent.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches was granted. The initial compensable rating claim for left ear hearing loss was denied. The issue of service connection for a left knee disability is dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran. The issues of service connection for right ankle strain and low back disability are remanded for further evaluation.