Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae and remanded the issue of increasing rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss began during his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for hearing loss, osteoarthritis, and peptic ulcer has been reopened. The claim for hearing loss is granted as new evidence supports the reopening of this claim. The claims for osteoarthritis and peptic ulcer remain denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to insufficient evidence, and an additional VA audiological examination is required.

The Veteran's initial claim for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD was denied. The effective date of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted as December 23, 2014. For PTSD prior to November 2015, the Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his in-service noise exposure, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has vacated the January 2018 decision denying service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine disorder, thoracolumbar spine disorder, left leg disorder, right leg disorder, hearing loss of the right ear, OSA, blood platelet disorder, and thyroid condition. The issues are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 40 percent, but he claims it has worsened and seeks a higher rating. The Board notes that the March 2018 audiogram results are unclear and needs clarification.

The Board has remanded the claims due to new evidence added since the last decision and a need for clarification of the Veteran's service periods.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of evidence. The Veteran's left and right knee conditions are remanded for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology, specifically whether they are related to his service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and bilateral hearing loss have resulted in the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, leading to a grant of special monthly compensation based on this need.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied, while his anxiety disorder (psychiatric) is granted. The rating for tinnitus remains at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent and there is no effective date prior to July 22, 2013, for service connection. Other claims are remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not service-connected as it did not manifest within one year of discharge and there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a current disability related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a right foot condition, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and diabetes due to incomplete records from the Veteran's active service period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and sleep apnea/sleep disorder have been remanded.,His initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied, as his hearing acuity does not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is incurred during active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's recurrent tinnitus began in service and has persisted since. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between current hearing loss and service or noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not worsened to the extent that he is precluded from performing a job in the music or IT field, and his occupation for which he was rehabilitated remains suitable. Therefore, reentrance into vocational rehabilitation is denied.