Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran is granted a 10 percent disability rating for service-connected tinnitus beginning January 7, 2010. The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for bilateral hearing loss remains denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for prostate cancer and TDIU due to unresolved issues regarding the Veteran's claimed exposure to burn pits at Fort Drum.,An effective date earlier than September 22, 2014 is denied as an original claim for service connection was filed on that date.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for various conditions due to receipt of additional relevant service medical records. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.,Service connection is denied for ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer based on exposure to tactical herbicide agents. Service connection for a gastric condition is remanded.

The Veteran's claim to reopen service connection for a left total left hip replacement was denied as new and material evidence had not been received.,The Veteran's claim to reopen service connection for degenerative disc disease with spinal stenosis (L4-L5) and neuro-foraminal stenosis (L5-S1) was denied as new and material evidence had not been received.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied due to lack of a link between the condition and military service.,Service connection for hypertension was denied due to lack of a link between the condition and military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated as level I in both ears, resulting in a non-compensable evaluation. The Board found that the current schedular evaluations adequately reflected his disability picture.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ear hearing loss disability and remanded the issues of increased rating for tinea pedis with blisters and TDIU.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to service. The Veteran will need a VA audiological examination to determine if he currently has a hearing loss disability and if it is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, chronic anxiety disorder with anger and depression symptoms, headaches with memory loss (claimed as migraines), and sleep apnea have been denied. The decision to deny the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is final.,New evidence has been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for chronic anxiety disorder with anger and depression symptoms and headaches with memory loss (claimed as migraines). These claims are now pending.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, left leg condition, arthritis, and low back condition. The cases are remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus type II was denied, as the manifestations did not more closely approximate any higher ratings.,Claims for earlier effective dates for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for dysthymic disorder with anxiety were also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's statements regarding in-service exposure to noise and symptoms of these conditions are credible. The Board also found that there is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and teeth 8, 9, and 31 for treatment purposes due to outstanding records that need to be obtained.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have resulted in total social and occupational impairment, warranting a total disability evaluation for the entire appeal period. The effective date of this decision is March 30, 2012.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for left lower extremity diabetic polyneuropathy, right lower extremity diabetic polyneuropathy, and hypertension have been dismissed.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence does not support a nexus between the Veteran's current conditions and his period of service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disorder to include depression, headache disorder, tinnitus, and diabetes mellitus. The issues were decided as secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure. The issue of an initial compensable evaluation for right ear hearing loss and service connection for a brain tumor remains pending.

The Board has remanded the reopened claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss and the claim for a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss due to potential issues with the adequacy of the August 2017 VA examination.