Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, major depressive disorder, epilepsy, and TBI due to radiation exposure. The claims will be further developed with new examinations and verification of service-related exposures.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion and lack of VA treatment records. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is being reviewed again with a new examination.

The Veteran's PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are granted service connection. However, GERD is not related to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence does not support a link between these conditions and active military service. The Veteran's MOS as an Artillery Officer is considered to have a high risk of noise exposure, but there is no medical opinion linking his current hearing loss or tinnitus directly to service.,The Board has also denied service connection for left arm weakness and right arm weakness, noting that the evidence does not support a link between these conditions and active military service. The Veteran's MOS as an Artillery Officer is considered to have a high risk of noise exposure, but there is no medical opinion linking his current arm weaknesses directly to service.

The Veteran's back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, vision loss, bilateral hearing loss, and breathing condition are not service-connected.,Service connection for the Veteran's back disability is denied. The Board found no evidence of a chronic disability in service or for many years after service.

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

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased disability rating for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed as the Veteran and his representative withdrew the claim prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition, as no recent evaluation has been conducted in over 9 years and there are suggestions of worsening.

The Veteran's service connection for left knee arthritis and bilateral hearing loss is granted. The initial rating of 30 percent for adjustment disorder prior to October 14, 2014 is denied, but a higher rating is granted from that date onwards.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is etiologically related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The right knee disability and bilateral hearing loss claims are denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to an inadequate rationale in the July 2017 VA opinion.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his active military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and hearing loss, and remanded the claims of service connection for PTSD and TDIU. The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have begun during active service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and urinary disorder have been granted. The claim for urinary disorder is remanded due to the need to obtain relevant medical records.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded it for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and low back disability are granted, while the remaining issues remain pending due to lack of evidence or further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, left shoulder disorder, left ear hearing loss, and right ear hearing loss due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The claims for tinnitus are also remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the pending hearing loss claims.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board also found that the Veteran should be awarded TDIU, but noted insufficient evidence to determine his current employment status and requested further examination of his PTSD.