Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), headaches, a right index finger partial amputation with neuropathy, and tinnitus due to incomplete development of evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to additional development being needed. Specifically, an addendum opinion is required regarding whether the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied. His claim for a dental disability for compensation purposes was also denied.

The Board has reopened the service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, and granted these claims as they are at least in equipoise with establishing service connection.

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

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's left elbow disability and completing a formal TDIU application form. The hearing loss claim remains denied as there is no current hearing loss disability. The right index finger disability is granted with an initial 10% rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss had its onset during service and is related to in-service noise exposure, thus granting service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of a current disability, and thus did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was rated as noncompensable due to the severity of his hearing acuity levels.,Service connection for hyperlipidemia and/or high cholesterol is denied because it is not a recognized disability for VA compensation purposes.,Service connection for hypertension is denied, with no evidence showing that the Veteran's condition is related to service or herbicide exposure.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is also denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not shown to be related to service, and the Board found no evidence of continuity of symptomatology since service. The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's hearing loss is less likely due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral recurrent tinnitus, and hypertension. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD, a mood disorder, and depression) due to incomplete records and conflicting medical opinions. The claims are inextricably intertwined with each other.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his hearing loss disability has been manifested by, at worst, Level IV hearing loss in the left ear and Level I hearing loss in the right ear.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to active service.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss but denied service connection for low back disability. Right ear hearing loss is found to be caused by in-service noise exposure, while the low back disability is not considered to have been aggravated or caused during active duty.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral foot disorder, bilateral knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, skin disorder involving the feet, and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) due to new evidence received since the last denial of these claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbar spine disability, and hepatitis C due to incomplete history provided by the VA examiner in March 2012. The issues are now inextricably intertwined as they all relate to his active duty service from June 1970 to June 1973.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for generalized anxiety disorder and left ear hearing loss has been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of these claims.,Service connection for a neck condition, claimed as cervical injury, and peripheral neuropathy right upper extremity have both been denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and initial rating for PTSD are being remanded due to the need for updated VA medical records, an examination by a VA Otolaryngologist, and another examination of the Veteran.