Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lupus has been reopened and granted.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, fibromyalgia, fifth metacarpal fracture residuals, chronic epididymitis, and erectile dysfunction (ED) have all been denied. The effective dates for these decisions are not specified in the decision summary provided.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, rectal cancer, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities (secondary to rectal cancer), and a sleep disorder. The claim for coronary artery disease is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for a status post-operative gunshot wound in the left forearm and bilateral hearing loss due to potential issues with medical opinions regarding aggravation of these conditions during periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA).

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,Right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as they are related to service. The right ear hearing loss is linked to the Veteran's military noise exposure, while his tinnitus is considered secondary to his right ear hearing loss.,The claim for low back pain has been reopened due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. Service connection will be remanded and a medical opinion will need to be obtained regarding whether the condition originated in service or if it was aggravated by service.,The claim for obstructive sleep apnea has also been reopened, but further development is needed as no direct service connection can be established based on the current evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, sleep disorder (including sleep apnea), left ear hearing loss, erectile dysfunction, and a disability manifested by sensitivity to light and noise due to insufficient evidence or need for further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, cervical spine disability, bilateral ankle and foot disabilities, have rendered her unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board grants TDIU effective March 17, 2013, and dismisses the remaining claims.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and Agent Orange exposure.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss, sleep apnea, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus as the evidence did not show a current disability or a relationship to service.,Service connection was not granted for any of the conditions due to lack of medical evidence showing a current disability related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and diabetes mellitus type II due to lack of recent examination and potential exposure to herbicides. The Veteran's hearing loss is suspected to have worsened since his last VA examination, and his diabetes may be related to service or herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or a link to service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted, with the Board finding that there is at least equipoise evidence to support these claims.

The Board has granted the reopening of claims for service connection for right shoulder disability, back disability, and tinnitus. The claims for right shoulder disability and back disability are remanded due to additional evidence needed. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ear hearing loss disability is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected tinnitus is denied as the maximum schedular evaluation has been assigned.

The Board denied service connection for left and right foot conditions, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. Service connection was granted for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus.,The Veteran's current diagnoses of these conditions are presumed due to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient development and examination of his medical history, including in-service noise exposure, symptomatology, and treatment records.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and he is granted a TDIU. The appeals for the other conditions are dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claims.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus disabilities make him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no medical evidence linking his current hearing loss to in-service noise exposure. The preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that the Veteran’s hearing loss is related to military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's tinnitus is service connected, and therefore removed from consideration. The issue of bilateral hearing loss remains on appeal.