Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has denied service connection for hearing loss, and the claims for bilateral knee conditions, heart condition (also claimed as atrioventricular block and endocarditis), anxiety, and depression are remanded due to a lack of evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting VA examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected as they did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period, or for a condition noted in service, continuity of symptomatology is not established.,Service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus cannot be granted as there is no evidence of their onset during service or related to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's skin disorder is not service-connected due to lack of evidence of its onset during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to several issues, including obtaining an opinion on the impact of PTSD medication on employment and verifying the Veteran's income since October 2011.

The Veteran's PTSD and bilateral hearing loss have worsened, necessitating new evaluations to determine appropriate ratings.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied. The maximum schedular rating available for recurrent tinnitus has been assigned.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus as secondary to bilateral hearing loss is denied, and it remains at June 28, 2012.

The appeal for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. The claim for service connection for Meniere's disease is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including coronary artery disease, unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress, alcohol-related disorder, diabetes mellitus, tinnitus, and hearing loss, prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has found new and material evidence to support these claims. The cases are being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability.,His back disability was initially rated at 10 percent prior to July 29, 2014 and then granted a 20 percent rating effective from that date. The radiculopathy of his lower extremities has been rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran withdrew all his appeals, including those related to diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities, hearing loss, PTSD, hypertensive vascular disease, and vision problems associated with diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has been rated at 0 percent since April 2013. The most recent VA examination in April 2018 showed no more than level II impairment in both ears, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss is denied. The Veteran is granted a 20 percent rating, but no more, for his lumbar spine disability with radicular symptoms of the right lower extremity prior to September 4, 2013 and in excess of 20 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating of 20 percent for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed as he withdrew the appeal prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating of 20 percent for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed as he withdrew the appeal prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and renal cell carcinoma, but has remanded both issues due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to the Veteran not meeting the criteria for a disability as defined by VA. However, the Board has granted service connection for tinnitus based on in-service noise exposure and credible testimony from the Veteran.

The Board has remanded multiple claims for further development due to the Veteran not being properly notified of VA examinations related to his service connection and increased disability rating claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because he does not have a current disability as defined by VA regulations.