Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are currently rated at 10 percent each, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The Board finds that a higher initial rating for either condition is not warranted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. Hearing loss is found to be related to in-service noise exposure, while tinnitus is considered a symptom of the service-connected hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed low back strain and hearing loss. The VA needs to provide new medical opinions on whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed psychiatric disorder, and therefore denied service connection for PTSD. The cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Board has dismissed the appeals on all issues related to service connection and rating for various conditions due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 50% since the claim was filed, and other service connection claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated at 30 percent, and the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is granted as his current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss is etiologically related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding private treatment records and the need for medical opinions regarding his heart disability, peptic ulcer disease, and gastritis.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability, rated at 80 percent since March 13, 2014, and tinnitus disability, rated at 10 percent since April 8, 2009, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic low back pain, chronic cervical spine pain, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and tinnitus are denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his military service.,Service connection was not granted because the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that any diagnosed conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but the claims for left and right knee replacements have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim for service connection for a bilateral foot disability was granted. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and left knee disability were also granted.,Service connection for right knee disability is remanded due to lack of evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for inclusion body myositis, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and migraine headaches due to potential issues with audiometric testing and need for further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus do not prevent him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical nexus opinions and a need for another examination.

The Board has vacated the denial of TDIU and remanded for readjudication due to inadequate consideration of the combined effects of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The case is being remanded for a VA examination to evaluate the cumulative functional impairment of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate hearing test results and a need for further evaluation of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability.