Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's lumbosacral strain. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, or an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, left ankle disability, and left elbow disability have been denied. The claim for residuals of dental trauma is remanded.,Service connection has been granted for genital herpes and a psychiatric disability other than PTSD.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, with a combined evaluation of 100 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for earlier effective dates for his service-connected right radial head fracture and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that no increase in disability was factually ascertainable prior to October 4, 2012.

The Board has remanded several issues, including service connection for myelitis (claimed as Guillain Barre syndrome), migraines, a low back condition, left knee chondromalacia patella and degenerative arthritis, and right knee chondromalacia patella and degenerative arthritis. The appeal is not about the initial rating for bilateral hearing loss or service connection for malaria.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, deviated septum, residuals of pneumonia, lumbar spine disorder, and bilateral hip disorder due to incomplete VA outpatient treatment records. The Veteran is to be provided with another VA audiometric examination to determine if he currently has a hearing loss disability as defined by 38 C.F.R. § 3.385. Additionally, the Veteran is to be afforded VA examinations addressing his claims for service connection for residuals of pneumonia and lumbar spine disorder that include medical opinions documenting consideration of his assertions of continuity of symptomatology from service to the present time.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for GERD was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, calculus of the kidney, and renal disease were denied as they did not meet the criteria for service connection. The claim for sleep apnea (secondary to diabetes mellitus) is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during active service and granted service connection for this condition. However, the issue of bilateral hearing loss remains pending as a remand is required to determine if service connection should be granted.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to new and material evidence, but the issue is remanded for additional development including obtaining VA treatment records from Panama City, Florida and providing a medical opinion on the cause of death.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The cases of low back disability and psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, and anxiety) are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for a back disorder and denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine was not found to have begun during active service, or be related to any in-service injury, event, or disease. His bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for posttraumatic stress disorder was withdrawn. The claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to military noise exposure. The case is remanded for a new examination to determine if the Veteran currently suffers from left ear hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee condition as due to service-connected right knee condition, and back condition as due to service-connected right knee condition. The claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied.,Service connection for tinnitus was not granted because the Veteran's tinnitus does not meet the criteria for an increased schedular evaluation under Diagnostic Code (DC) 6260, and extraschedular consideration is not warranted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records and the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are now pending. The Board has ordered additional development to obtain VA treatment records, as well as examinations to determine the existence and etiology of various conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's reported noise exposure during active duty and consistent testimony regarding continuity of symptoms since service discharge support a finding that his tinnitus began in service. Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of probative evidence linking the condition to service.

The appeal to reopen a claim of service connection for type II diabetes mellitus is granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded.