Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's symptoms have been continuous since service and meeting the criteria for presumptive service connection under direct service connection.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. However, the claims are still being remanded as there is insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss.

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

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent disabling for Meniere’s syndrome are remanded due to insufficient medical evidence on file from which the Board can accurately determine the current severity of her service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss due to lack of evidence showing the presence of a current disability. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine and status post subchondral fracture to anteromedial aspect of distal tibia are remanded as there is no updated VA examination record available.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus due to service, and therefore denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, back disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder (schizophrenia and depression) have been denied. However, new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of right ear hearing loss, back disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder (schizophrenia and depression). Service connection for these conditions is granted.,The Veteran's service-connected residuals of large colon resection and abdominal scar due to peritoneal adhesions have caused his depressive disorder. As a result, secondary service connection for this condition is also granted.

Your claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have already been granted in a previous rating decision, so there is no new issue to appeal.

The rating for bilateral hearing loss was restored from noncompensable to 10 percent effective October 1, 2014.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, bilateral hearing loss, and major depressive disorder. Service connection is denied for prostate cancer.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a skin condition due to lack of recent VA treatment records and unclear evidence regarding current tinnitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or hearing loss and that any current hearing impairment is not related to his military service.

The claim for service connection for lung disorder, including restrictive pulmonary function is granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of left hip, right hip, or bilateral hearing loss disabilities for VA purposes. Therefore, service connection is denied.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as they did not have onset during service or due to in-service noise exposure. The initial ratings for left and right elbow disabilities, including limitation of motion and impairment, are remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus and rhinitis have been granted service connection. The Board has remanded the claims for chronic pain disorder, bilateral hearing loss, depressive disorder, and eczema due to unclear etiology and severity.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current conditions did not pre-exist service or were aggravated by service. The evidence showed no in-service noise exposure leading to hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee condition, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension have been reopened. The evidence now supports the possibility that these conditions may be related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and erectile dysfunction due to insufficient medical information. Additional development is required including obtaining a pre-employment audiogram report, scheduling an examination to determine the etiology of these conditions, and providing an opinion on whether they are related to active service.