Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus is granted, with the issues remanded for additional medical examination.

The Board has remanded the cases of hearing loss, sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux, lower back disorder, and pain down the legs for further examination to determine their etiology. The Veteran's service connection claims are otherwise denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to outstanding records and a need for further examination.

The Board has denied service connection for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, finding no evidence of these conditions during the appeal period.,Service connection is also denied for an acquired psychiatric disability (also claimed as anxiety and depression), a muscle disability to include as due to an unspecified undiagnosed illness, and a left leg condition. The Veteran's claims are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's appeals for initial compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss and left arm scar prior to January 20, 2014 have been dismissed. The appeal for an increased rating for PTSD prior to January 20, 2014 is remanded due to the need for additional evidence. The TDIU issue is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the PTSD claim.

The Veteran's last VA audiological examination was in April 2013, and his hearing has reportedly worsened since then. The Board finds a remand is required to schedule a new VA examination for the purpose of assessing the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's PTSD disability is rated at 70 percent prior to August 14, 2015. A TDIU is granted for the period prior to this date.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal of his sleep disorder was dismissed as he requested to withdraw the issue.,Service connection for a low back disorder, diagnosed as scoliosis, is granted. The Board found that the Veteran’s current condition is related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during active duty service due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss disability. The appellant's claims will be reviewed again with additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is considered to be related to his military service and was incurred therein. Therefore, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for COPD, frostbite injury to bilateral ears, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder, difficulty sleeping, and bilateral hearing loss due to additional evidence being added to the record.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the claims of service connection for lower extremity neuropathy, upper extremity neuropathy, respiratory disability (asthma), obesity, and diabetes mellitus due to inconsistencies in medical opinions and lack of adequate rationale.

The Veteran's skin rash, diagnosed in October 2013, is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to service or herbicide exposure.,Bilateral hearing loss was rated at 0% prior to October 24, 2015. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating remains pending and will be remanded.,PTSD symptoms include depression, anxiety, and impaired social functioning. A 30% rating is granted based on these symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of infected blister of the right foot was denied as there is no permanent residual or chronic disability. The initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus and compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss were also denied. Service connection for hypertension secondary to PTSD with alcohol use disorder was not granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is as likely as not related to service exposure to noise during active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of service connection for skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma) due to lack of evidence regarding herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for tinnitus and hearing loss disability due to insufficient service treatment records and missing audio report. The claims will be reviewed with additional information provided.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is on appeal for an initial compensable disability rating. The case is being remanded to obtain VA treatment records and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination.