Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated and found to be at Level I in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable rating. The appeal is denied as the criteria for an initial compensable rating are not met.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is rated at zero percent (noncompensable) throughout the appeal period, as his audiometric testing has consistently shown no worse than Level II hearing in both ears.

The Veteran's service connection claim for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is granted. The claims for increased ratings for osteoarthritis of the left and right knees, as well as for bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability and the Board finds that her symptoms are not related to military service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is denied because the Veteran does not have a current disability. The Board notes that she did sustain acoustic trauma during active service, but this alone is not sufficient to establish service connection.,The Veteran's claim for PTSD due to MST is remanded as new evidence requires a review of her psychiatric symptoms under DSM-5 criteria.,Service connection for back disability is remanded as the VA examiner’s opinion was inadequate and did not consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding the onset and continuity of her back disability.,The Veteran's claim for sleep disorder, to include sleep apnea, is remanded as no sleep study has been performed to diagnose sleep apnea. The Board also notes that more information is needed about the status of her ovaries.,Service connection for sinusitis is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability and the VA examiner’s opinion was inadequate.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for major depressive disorder is remanded due to new information indicating worsening symptoms.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for salpingo-oophoritis with removal of right ovary is remanded as more information about the status of her ovaries is needed.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent and the hearing loss disability is currently rated at 10 percent. Both conditions are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and light sensitivity as there is no evidence of these conditions during or after the Veteran's military service.,The Board found that a remand is needed to determine if the Veteran has a current right ankle disability separate from his already service-connected TBI and anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's daughter did not file a timely claim for accrued benefits within one year of his death, so the appeal is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied due to lack of prior formal or informal claims before March 30, 2011.,The effective dates for the grants of service connection are set at March 30, 2010 and March 30, 2011 respectively.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to new evidence indicating worsening of his disabilities since the last examinations in December 2010.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess their current severity.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a respiratory condition, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right and left hearing loss disabilities have been denied as there is no current disability during the appeal period.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA audiological examinations, and a new examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service.

The Veteran's hearing loss was evaluated and found to be no higher than 31.25 decibels in the right ear and 30 dB in the left ear, resulting in a non-compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the etiology of various disabilities and to obtain relevant VA treatment records. The claims for service connection are being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus due to inconsistencies in medical records and incomplete factual premises in previous VA opinions.

The Veteran's appeal has been remanded due to the need for a VA examination regarding his psychiatric disorder. His bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have already received their maximum schedular ratings.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his bilateral hearing loss disability and service connection for tinnitus was denied. The effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is set at April 30, 2012, while the effective date for the increase in the rating of the bilateral hearing loss disability remains undefined as it is not factually ascertainable that an earlier effective date can be assigned.