Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further action on his claims of service connection for a scar status post appendectomy and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus.

The Board has remanded four issues for further development: 1) an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for fracture of the right medial malleolus, 2) an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, 3) service connection for a disability of the nose (claimed as broken nose), and 4) service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to a disability of the nose. The Veteran's claims are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and updated medical records.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus as there was no evidence of a nexus between in-service noise exposure and current disabilities, and continuity of symptoms could not be established.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims to reopen his previously denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new evidence supports a link between these conditions and his military service. The Board also found current disabilities of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to in-service exposure to acoustic trauma.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to unclear dates of service, need for clarification on exposure basis, and need for a VA examination.

The Veteran is seeking a remand on two issues: whether there was clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in the June 2006 rating decision that denied service connection for right ear hearing loss, and whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen his claim of service connection for right ear hearing loss. The Board is unable to address these issues without first considering the CUE matter.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board has also remanded the issue of entitlement to a higher rating for PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was reopened due to new and material evidence. The Board found that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether his hearing loss is related to service, thus granting service connection.

The Board denied service connection for low-back disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus as the Veteran's conditions are not shown to be related to his military service.,Service connection was also denied because there is no evidence of a chronic disease or injury during active duty service. The Veteran's current conditions were found to have developed post-service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, fibromyalgia, erectile dysfunction, and PTSD are not service-connected. The decision denies the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left and right hearing loss were denied. The Board found no evidence of in-service noise exposure leading to current hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current tinnitus is at least as likely as not related to a head injury sustained during active service. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied due to lack of evidence meeting VA criteria.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was reopened and granted. The effective date of the award is December 16, 2011. Service connection for right knee gouty arthritis was not addressed as it had already been denied in 1982.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his audiometric test results do not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

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

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not service-connected as it was present at the time of enlistment and did not increase in severity during his ACDUTRA period. However, the Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected as it is related to noise exposure during his ACDUTRA service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded for further evaluation and to obtain updated medical records.

The appeal on the issue of entitlement to service connection for left ear hearing loss is dismissed. The application to reopen the claim for service connection for left lower extremity arthritis and left knee disorder, as well as left lower extremity nerve/neuropathy damage, is granted.