Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are due to noise exposure during service.

The Board has granted an initial compensable rating for dry eye syndrome, but remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of recent examination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for pre-existing right shoulder injury, in-service right foot fracture, and right ear hearing loss have been denied.,Specifically, the Board found no evidence of aggravation of the pre-existing right shoulder injury during service and concluded that the arthritis did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. The right foot injury was also deemed not to be aggravated by service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination reports and incomplete VA treatment records. The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss will be reconsidered after obtaining his complete service personnel file, relevant VA treatment records, and an addendum opinion from a clinician.

This appeal is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus. The service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied because there is no current diagnosis of a hearing loss disability by VA standards.,The claims for emphysema with COPD and residuals of a spontaneous pneumothorax, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and PTSD are all remanded as the Veteran's symptoms have worsened since his last examination.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD, is granted service connection. The initial rating for tinnitus remains at 10%. The effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is set at January 10, 2014. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and left shoulder disability as new and material evidence was not received to reopen these previously denied claims.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of a chronic disability in service or within one year after service that could be linked to the Veteran's active duty.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease, and insufficient medical opinion to establish a nexus between current disabilities and service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The respiratory disability, bilateral hearing loss, and acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety) are denied as there is no current diagnosis or evidence of a relationship to service.

The Board denied reopening the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to lack of new and material evidence, as the provided evidence was cumulative or redundant.

This decision denies service connection for numbness in the fingers, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus. Service connection is also denied for a low back disability. The claim for an increased rating for anxiety with sleep problems is denied due to failure of the Veteran to report for a scheduled VA examination.

The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any diagnosed low back, left knee, right knee, or bilateral hearing loss disabilities. The Veteran has not provided evidence of current diagnoses for these conditions.,Service connection is denied as there is no medical evidence linking the Veteran’s current low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities to his service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence being added to the record after a Substantive Appeal was filed. The VA treatment records are relevant and must be considered in an SSOC.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as service connected due to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and traumatic brain injury as there is no evidence of a current disability or that the conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding his initial disability rating and effective date for bilateral hearing loss.

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