Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was previously rated as noncompensable prior to April 30, 2018. Since then, the Veteran has been granted a 20% rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding lumbar spine, cervical spine, diabetes mellitus, arthritis, migraine disability, glaucoma, and cataracts. The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disability. The issues of service connection for a back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus remain unresolved.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's military noise exposure. The decision is based on evidence showing current disabilities and a link between those disabilities and service.

Service connection is granted for left shoulder arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. Service connection is remanded for a respiratory disability and the cause of death.,Respiratory disability: The Veteran's exposure to asbestos aboard USS Munda during service may be related to his COPD. The Board requests an opinion on whether any diagnosed respiratory disability was at least as likely as not caused or contributed substantially to the Veteran’s death.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and are not related to his military service. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss. The Veteran is required to undergo a new examination and provide additional medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus for further examination and medical opinions due to inadequate previous evaluations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion and need for additional development of records. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered after further examination and review.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is remanded due to the need for additional examination.

The Board dismissed the claim for lumbar degenerative disc disease and granted reopening of the claim for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is considered to be related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss has worsened since his last VA examination in 2015. The decision is remanded to clarify the Maryland CNC test used for speech discrimination and to schedule a VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected left ear hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are inextricably intertwined with his claims for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder distinct from PTSD, as well as his claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU). Therefore, these issues must be remanded to allow VA to obtain all available service treatment records and corroborate the Veteran's reported stressors. Additionally, the Veteran needs to have additional medical examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board dismissed the appeals of service connection claims for degenerative lumbar spine disease, cervical spine injury, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability claim is being remanded due to the need for updated VA audiological testing records.

The Board has denied service connection for hearing loss and remanded the issue of tinnitus. The Veteran's hearing loss is not related to his active duty service, but the claim for tinnitus remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following all forms of substantially gainful employment.

The Board is remanding the case due to issues related to hearing loss and TDIU, including seeking additional treatment records and a VA examination.