Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of available service treatment records. The Veteran contends that his hearing disabilities are related to in-service acoustic trauma, but VA is unable to locate these records.

The Board has remanded the cases due to new evidence being added since the last rating decisions. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of PTSD and bilateral hearing loss are now pending.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has worsened, but the VA audiologist needs to provide numerical values for his puretone thresholds and determine if he used the Maryland CNC speech discrimination test. The case is remanded for a new VA audiological examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's failure to report for a VA examination and lack of medical opinion addressing his claim for bilateral hearing loss secondary to service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, kidney disorder, and PTSD have been granted. Bilateral hearing loss is presumed due to in-service noise exposure. The kidney disorder is not related to service or a service-connected condition. PTSD was incurred during active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude substantially gainful employment prior to March 30, 2011.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to an inadequate examination in October 2014. The Veteran's hearing loss is related to noise trauma during service, but the examiner found normal hearing at separation.

The Veteran's initial rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his audiometric results did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to in-service acoustic trauma. The appeal is based on direct service connection rather than any presumption or secondary theory.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to lack of a comprehensive VA examination, incomplete STRs, and outstanding VA treatment records. The Veteran is required to undergo an audiology examination to determine if his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but denied the claim itself due to lack of evidence showing it was incurred in or caused by service.

The Board denied an extraschedular initial rating for bilateral hearing loss since July 21, 2009. The Veteran's disability picture is not exceptional or unusual and the schedular ratings adequately describe his level of disability.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, peptic ulcer disease, back disability, and bilateral knee disability. The cases are being remanded for further development.

The Board has dismissed all issues of service connection due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is dismissed. Effective July 22, 2013, the Veteran is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of hearing loss and tinnitus for further examination as there is insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss and bipolar disorder, but denied service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's hearing loss is considered to have started in service due to noise exposure during his military service as a cannoneer. His bipolar disorder is also considered to have started in service based on the evidence of record. However, there is no current diagnosis of PTSD.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, with a non-compensable rating assigned for allergic rhinitis.,The Veteran's allergic rhinitis has been manifested by symptoms including constant drainage down the back of his throat, fullness, and a bad taste in his mouth. However, there is no evidence of greater than 50 percent obstruction of the nasal passage on both sides or complete obstruction on one side.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU from March 23, 2010 to May 15, 2011 due to his service-connected PTSD. The claim is denied after that date as he received a 100% schedular rating for PTSD.