Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, and left ankle disorder due to potential aggravation during service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations to assess current severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and evaluation regarding his ear disability, liver cysts, and right ureteral calculus.

The Board has dismissed appeals for lack of stamina, obstructive sleep apnea, type II diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss, and erectile dysfunction. Appeals for hypertension (secondary to PTSD), kidney failure, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently not rated due to a lack of recent VA examination, and the examiner needs clarification on the March 2013 private audiometric testing. The case is being remanded for further evaluation.

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

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issue of service connection for right knee disorder due to a secondary relationship with left knee disability. The Veteran's current right knee condition is being remanded for an addendum VA examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is denied as it did not have its onset in service or manifest to a compensable degree within one year of discharge. The VA examiner found the current hearing loss was not related to military noise exposure.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss did not have its onset during service or within one year of discharge and has not been shown to be related to disease or injury incurred in service.

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 the Veteran's in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss do not prevent him from securing or following a substantial gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The claims of service connection for low back disorder, right knee disorder, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that a new audiology examination is necessary to determine whether the Veteran currently has hearing loss for VA disability purposes and its relationship, if any, to military service. A new medical examination and opinion will also be required for the Veteran's tinnitus claim.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, as he has not provided sufficient information about his employment status.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The cases of bilateral hearing loss and right and left knee disorders are remanded due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional records and a new VA examination. The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is being reviewed.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected. The Veteran's diabetes is also granted as secondary to his hepatitis C.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,Service connection for sleep apnea is also denied, with the examiner finding that it is not related to military service and likely due to obesity. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis is denied as there is no evidence of greater than 50 percent obstruction of the nasal passage on both sides, complete obstruction on one side, or nasal polyps.

The Veteran's hearing loss is rated at 10 percent since September 27, 2005. The appeal for a higher rating prior to that date and after it has been denied.