Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was granted. The claims for service connection for bilateral upper extremity and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy were denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has worsened, and a new VA examination is needed to determine the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is currently rated as noncompensable. The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of his service-connected hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for left hip disorder, right hip disorder, right knee disorder, rhabdomyolysis, bilateral hearing loss, vertigo, and polyuria/dysuria as there is no evidence of current diagnoses or objective indications of such conditions during service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there was no evidence showing the conditions were related to military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no current disability that meets VA's definition of a hearing loss condition.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted, but the initial ratings for both conditions remain at non-compensable (0 percent).

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is remanded for further development due to conflicting medical opinions and the need for a VA examination considering research by Dr. Kujawa.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete records, lack of VA examination, and need for further development. The Veteran's personnel records must be sought, as well as any relevant non-VA treatment records.

The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for bilateral pes planus is granted.,Entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied.,Entitlement to a compensable evaluation for left ear hearing loss is denied.,Entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for fatty liver disease is denied.,Entitlement to an effective date prior to September 17, 2013, for the award of service connection for left ear hearing loss is denied.,Entitlement to an effective date prior to September 17, 2013, for the award of service connection for fatty liver disease is denied.

The Board has denied service connection for spinal disability, right ear hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and hypertension. The claim for sleep apnea is remanded due to the lack of a current diagnosis.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to the lack of a current diagnosis. The psychiatric disorder and sleep disorder claims are remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the service connection claim for PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy, are rated at a combined 90 percent. The Board finds that these conditions preclude the Veteran from participating in substantially gainful employment due to their severity.

The Veteran's hearing loss is manifested by level I hearing in both ears, and the Board has determined that an initial compensable rating on a schedular basis is not warranted. The case is remanded for consideration of extraschedular criteria.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his audiometric testing showed no more than Level IX hearing in both ears, which is the minimum required for a 60% rating. The Board found that the schedular criteria adequately described his disability level and symptomatology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of right ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes and has not had one at any time during the pendency of the claim or recent to the filing of the claim. The same is true for left ear hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and right knee disability.

The Board found that the reduction of the 50 percent disability rating for bilateral hearing loss to 30 percent effective from July 1, 2016 was proper and denied restoration of the 50 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, which is related to service exposure to noise.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to February 24, 2014 was denied. A 10% rating is granted for the period from February 24, 2014, to February 18, 2015.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetic peripheral neuropathy and hearing loss, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.