Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service connected due to significant in-service noise exposure, with all reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting medical opinions and a need for further development regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and hyperlipidemia is granted. The claim for earlier effective date for ischemic heart disease is remanded.

The Veteran's last VA examination for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was conducted in December 2014, which is considered too old to accurately assess the current severity of his condition. The Board has therefore decided that a new examination is necessary.

This decision denies the Veteran's claims of service connection for left eye disorder, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and tinnitus. The claim for left eye disorder is denied as new evidence does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.,This decision also denies the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypertension. The Veteran does not have a current disability that meets VA criteria for hearing loss or hypertension, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to military service.,The tinnitus claim is denied as the Veteran is already receiving the maximum schedular rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's sleep disorder and hearing loss claims. The Veteran will be provided a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims of service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, low back disability, bilateral hip condition, obstructive sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction was granted. Service connection is established for PTSD with a rating of 70 percent effective from April 9, 2014.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is evaluated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period, with no evidence supporting a compensable evaluation at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability has been manifested by hearing acuity no worse than Level I in his right ear and Level I in his left ear, with no exceptional pattern of hearing loss. The Board finds that the criteria for a compensable disability rating are not met.

The appeal as to entitlement to service connection for a left elbow disability has been dismissed.,New and material evidence having been received; the claims of entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus type II (DM II), hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been reopened.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted service connection. The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is remanded for further examination.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and major depressive disorder, and granted a 10% disability rating for tinnitus. The Veteran's current disabilities are not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the issue of a rating in excess of 30 percent for bilateral hearing loss due to functional impairment, but no new evidence was provided and the current rating is considered appropriate.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 40 percent from March 4, 2016. The Board found that the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal for separate 10 percent evaluations for bilateral tinnitus was denied. The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and TDIU due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a dental condition, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claims.

The case is remanded due to the inextricably intertwined nature of the service connection claims for diabetes mellitus and several other conditions. Additional development is required to determine whether the Veteran served on land in Vietnam, which could impact his service connection claims.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted, but the issues of service connection for hypertension (secondary to diabetes mellitus type II) and remanded for further review.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but remanded the hearing loss claim due to outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service noise exposure and that there is continuity of symptoms since service.