Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for bronchitis and ischemic heart disease secondary to asbestos exposure, and left knee disability are denied.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of establishing that the preexisting hearing loss or tinnitus were aggravated beyond its natural progression during service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because there is no evidence of a current disability. The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral tinnitus is granted as the Veteran has provided credible testimony regarding when he first experienced symptoms.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current right ear hearing loss is related to his service, including noise exposure. Additional VA examination and records are needed.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of coronary artery disease was denied. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable.

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

The Board dismissed the appeal of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his small cell lung cancer was likely caused by his liver cancer, which was presumed to be due to exposure at Camp Lejeune. The decision is based on a presumption of exposure and does not involve direct service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to noise exposure during active service and grants this claim.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, chronic acid reflux, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).,For his right knee condition, left ankle strain, right ankle strain, and bilateral plantar fasciitis with hallux valgus, the Board has remanded these issues due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's claims for chronic ear infections, right ear with chronic eustachian tube dysfunction, and right ear drum perforation and scarring are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, back disorder, and left knee disorder due to incomplete records. The Veteran's lay statements will be considered in determining if his conditions are related to service.

The claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety disorder and depressive disorder) have been dismissed. The claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied. The Board also found that the Veteran's TDIU claim before March 7, 2017 is not ready for adjudication due to lack of information about his employment history and remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to June 15, 2016, and 40 percent thereafter, for left lower extremity radiculopathy is dismissed. The issues of entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss disability and total disability rating based on unemployability (TDIU) due to service connected disabilities are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hearing loss and anxiety disorder as they require further development due to outdated medical examinations.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for bilateral hearing loss disability from June 30, 2015, forward was granted. However, the RO failed to obtain audiometric results prior to that date and is now remanded to do so.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether these conditions are related to service. The Veteran's testimony of noise exposure during service was considered credible.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable. The VA examinations have consistently shown Level I hearing loss in the right ear, warranting a noncompensable disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for tinnitus has been granted, with a maximum of 10 percent. The claims for increased ratings for right-ear hearing loss and PTSD have not been addressed as they are already at the highest possible rating under VA regulations. The claim for service connection for left-ear hearing loss is reopened due to new evidence received since the last final denial in August 2007, but no specific rating has been assigned yet. The claims for cervical spine disorder and low back disorder have been granted with a maximum of 40 percent under Diagnostic Code 5025. The claim for erectile dysfunction remains pending.