Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, respiratory disability, bilateral pes planus, hypertension, and acquired psychiatric disability due to incomplete records and the need for additional examinations.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain the Veteran's service personnel records to determine his periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA. This information is relevant to his claims for hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed left ear hearing loss or sciatic nerve disability for VA purposes, and therefore denied service connection for these conditions. The Board also found insufficient evidence to determine if the Veteran's bilateral leg and knee disabilities were aggravated by his time in service.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is granted as service connected, with no assigned rating and effective date not specified.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was reduced from a 30 percent evaluation to a 20 percent evaluation, effective November 1, 2014. The Board found that the evidence did not show sustained improvement in his hearing loss and thus granted restoration of the 30 percent evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran should be afforded another VA examination in connection with his left eye disorder and bilateral hearing loss claims due to inadequate previous opinions. The examiner is requested to review all pertinent records, including service treatment records and post-service medical records, and provide an opinion on whether any current conditions are causally or etiologically related to military service.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for hairy cell leukemia and remanded the issues of initial compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss and hairy cell leukemia.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence of current disability. The issue of secondary service connection for hypertension is remanded as the VA examination did not provide sufficient information regarding causation and aggravation.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete records. A VA medical opinion is needed to determine if these conditions are related to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to in-service noise exposure.

Your appeals for service connection have been remanded due to the addition of new VA medical records. Your case will be returned to the RO for initial review and readjudication.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and vertigo due to the Veteran's failure to report for VA examinations. The reopening of previously denied claims for bilateral hearing loss and vertigo is also remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus and headaches are granted service connection, but his hearing loss and TBI residuals remain pending.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the inadequacy of the previous VA examination. Further evaluation and testing are needed.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss due to new evidence suggesting a possible diagnosis of bilateral high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss. The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability was denied as the evidence did not support a compensable rating.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), as well as his claim for a temporary total disability evaluation following spondylolisthesis surgery. The AOJ is instructed to obtain any relevant outstanding VA treatment records and readjudicate the claims.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, was denied as his service-connected conditions did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD requires regular aid and attendance due to his inability to perform daily activities, requiring assistance from his daughter. The Board granted SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is rated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period.,Prior to February 23, 2011, his GERD was not productive of symptoms warranting a compensable rating.