Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for multiple sclerosis and remanded the issues of service connection for left hand condition, right ear hearing loss, and various contusions. The Veteran is also required to undergo additional VA examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not shown to have manifested in service or within one year thereafter, and the Board found that it is less likely than not related to his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service connected. The appeal for service connection for a neck disability and psychiatric disability is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a psychiatric disorder and multiple musculoskeletal conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU claim based on these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a right leg condition is denied. The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety, depression, PTSD) and headaches are remanded.,Further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions are needed to determine their etiology.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is related to service, and remanded for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent disabling, effective from the date of this decision. The rating reflects significant occupational and social impairment.

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 acoustic trauma.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the conditions are at least as likely as not caused by noise exposure during military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypertension need further examination and opinion to determine if they are related to his military service.

The Veteran's mild facet arthropathy (claimed as low back injury) and acquired psychiatric disorder are granted service connection. The right shoulder disability, left knee replacement, right knee replacement, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus are denied service connection.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient examination findings regarding their onset in service or relationship to diabetes.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, chronic mastoiditis, and hypertension as there was no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal seeking to reopen a previously denied service connection claim for hypothyroidism was dismissed. Service connection for right ear hearing loss and lumbar degenerative disc disease were granted, but the issue of right leg radiculopathy is remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine were denied initial compensable evaluations. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet criteria for a higher evaluation based on his audiometric test results and range of motion findings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is related to his in-service acoustic trauma, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's military police officer MOS and specific examples of noise exposure during service have established noise exposure in service. The January 2018 private audiometry shows a current hearing loss disability, and a private opinion states it is at least as likely as not related to service noise exposure. Therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's in-service symptoms of decreased hearing acuity and threshold shifts are at least in equipoise with his current hearing loss disability. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible reports of in-service onset and continuity of symptomatology.

This decision denies service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remands the issues of service connection for left wrist disorder, right wrist disorder, and residuals of the left 4th and 5th finger dislocation. The effective date for the grant of service connection for residuals of the left 4th and 5th finger dislocation is also being remanded.,Entitlement to an earlier effective date than December 17, 2014, for the award of service connection for residuals of the left 4th and 5th finger dislocation is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss began during service and is related to in-service noise exposure. As such, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.