Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and need for further examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus due to insufficient examination opinions in the original decision. The VA examiner did not consider all relevant evidence, including prior audiometric evaluations from service records and the impact of the Veteran's MOS on his hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral recurrent tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not caused by his military service. Service connection was denied for diabetes mellitus due to lack of in-service exposure or evidence of a compensable level within one year post-service. The claim for bilateral knee disability is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence linking these conditions to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, paranoid disorder, anxiety disorder, and depression due to incomplete evaluations and a need for additional evidence. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to unclear audiometric data from service, potential aggravation of pre-existing conditions, and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, which are believed to be related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right ankle fracture with degenerative arthritis status post fusion, bilateral hearing loss disability, and bilateral tinnitus are granted. The claim for secondary service connection for low back disorder is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of a nexus between the Veteran's current condition and his military service. New evidence submitted since the 2013 decision does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity as secondary to his service-connected Intervertebral Disc Syndrome involving nerve root level L5-S1. The issues of entitlements to a rating in excess of 20 percent for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, effective February 5, 2016; compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, effective December 10, 2010; propriety of reduction from 60 percent to 40 percent for Intervertebral Disc Syndrome involving nerve root level L5-S1, effective September 1, 2016; and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for service-connected disabilities are REMANDED.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and increased evaluations for cervical strain with cervical disc degeneration, postconcussive headaches (residual of traumatic brain injury), TBI, right shoulder grade II AC separation, and PTSD have been denied. The Veteran is not entitled to an increased evaluation for his service-connected cervical strain with cervical disc degeneration or a higher initial evaluation for his service-connected postconcussive headaches (residual of traumatic brain injury).,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for right shoulder grade II AC separation, PTSD, and TBI have been remanded. The Veteran is also entitled to an increased evaluation for his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied service connection for tinnitus. Service connection for Parkinson's disease is remanded due to insufficient medical opinion.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, hip and knee conditions, prostate disability, and erectile dysfunction. The claims are being returned for further development and examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and PTSD have been reopened. However, the Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability related to service, thus denying both claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no prior claim or decision addressing these issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, numbness in the left hand, and bilateral hearing loss have been granted. The case is remanded for further development regarding the claim of numbness in the left hand.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD due to the lack of verified in-service stressor and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate evidence. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and PTSD, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds the evidence at least evenly balanced in favor of the Veteran's claim for TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and hearing loss, but remanded the issue of restoring a rating for his depressive disorder.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral pes planus, an eye condition, hearing loss, tinnitus, and headaches are denied. The claim for tinnitus is granted.