Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, major depressive disorder, anxiety), a gastrointestinal disability (including gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD)), and insomnia due to outstanding records from service treatment and personnel records.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his military service. The decision is based on credible statements of in-service noise exposure and post-service hearing loss.

The Veteran's hypertension claim was denied in January 2007, but new evidence has not raised a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and erectile dysfunction due to service-connected conditions.,Service connection for PVD is denied as it is not proximately due to or aggravated by a service-connected disability. Service connection for CAD was granted with a 60% rating, effective June 1, 2014.,The Veteran's hypertension claim remains pending and the Board did not address any other claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss, but granted it for left ear hearing loss. The decision found that the Veteran did not have current right ear hearing loss disability and was exposed to acoustic trauma in service, leading to a finding of service connection for left ear hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral diabetic retinopathy with pseudophakia, depression, fatigue, and communication difficulties (speech) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected Meniere’s disease with bilateral hearing loss. The rating assigned for Meniere’s disease was 80 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, and his claims of secondary service connection are denied.

The Board has decided the claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has worsened, and he needs a new VA examination to assess its current severity.

The Board has remanded the claims for left knee disability, psychiatric disability (to include PTSD), and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities as there are outstanding VA treatment records that need to be secured.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to noise exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for low back disorder, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus due to insufficient consideration of all evidence in the file.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his in-service noise exposure and current hearing impairment. The preponderance of the evidence also did not show that his hearing loss manifested within one year of discharge.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there was no evidence of a chronic, identifiable disability during or after service, and the preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, right Achilles tendon injury, diverticulitis, and lumbar spine disability. The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD, right ear hearing loss, chronic diarrhea, migraines, and vertigo are all granted as service-connected.,However, the rating for left ear hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is granted as service-connected due to aggravation during combat. The claim for higher ratings on the left knee disability prior to May 1, 2016, and thereafter remains pending.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate rationale in the VA examination reports. The Veteran's testimony suggests a link between his military noise exposure and current hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The Veteran's claim for service connection for right carpal tunnel syndrome is remanded and will be decided based on the evidence of record.