Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus are rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that these conditions do not meet the criteria for a TDIU due to their combined rating being less than 70% and there is no evidence of unemployability.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine sprain, and left shoulder sprain due to insufficient reasoning in the VA examination opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient development of evidence, particularly regarding whether the Veteran's symptoms can be separately attributed to his service-connected disabilities.

Service connection is granted for residuals of enterococcus, to include chronic diarrhea. Service connection is remanded for hearing loss, low back condition, skin condition, and respiratory condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for tinnitus, anxiety disorder, right ear hearing loss, and left ear hearing loss due to new evidence or further medical evaluation. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The Board has restored service connection for hearing loss of the left ear, but denied service connection for hearing loss of the right ear and tinnitus.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran currently has a bilateral hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes. The Veteran should be provided another VA examination.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to noise exposure in service. The Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are not considered related to his military service.

Service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, including depressive and anxiety disorders, is granted.,Service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy, headaches, hearing loss, and tinnitus are all denied. Service connection for degenerative disc disease is granted with a rating of 50 percent effective from April 5, 2016.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to inadequate medical opinion.

The Veteran's TDIU claim from February 14, 2008 to December 25, 2012 was denied as the evidence does not show that his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, hearing loss, tinnitus, right leg L4-L5 rami-irritability (claimed as secondary to a low back disability), and depression due to incomplete records and lack of medical opinions regarding service connection.

The Board has remanded several claims, including service connection for asthma and an acquired psychiatric disorder, due to the need for additional medical examinations and consideration of new evidence. The Veteran's cervical spine and back disabilities are also being examined as they may be related to his active military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is required for the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inaccuracy in the audiometric test results from his separation examination. The examiner is asked to review the records, convert the data if necessary, and provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the conditions are related to service.

The Board denied service connection for back condition and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the conditions are related to noise exposure during active service.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is granted as service connected due to noise exposure during military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria.

Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted on an aggravation basis. Service connection for nerve damage to the right ear, including trigeminal neuralgia and headaches, is remanded.