Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the merits have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion regarding his claimed conditions. The issues include tinnitus, coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the left arm, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities, low back pain, hearing loss in both ears, carpal tunnel syndrome and radiculopathy, vision problems, and headaches.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is a result of his active service and granted service connection for this condition.

Service connection is denied for a dental disability for compensation purposes (claimed as periodontal disease). The appeal regarding bilateral hearing loss and low back strain has been dismissed. The appeals for increased ratings for hemorrhoids and GERD have been remanded.,Service connection is not granted for the claimed conditions due to lack of evidence meeting VA criteria for service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of clarity in the May 2013 VA examiner's opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions. The Veteran asserts that his hearing loss and tinnitus are related to noise exposure during military service, specifically from small arms fire as a military policeman.

The Veteran's malaria was deemed inactive and resolved without any residuals, thus not meeting the criteria for a compensable rating.,There is no evidence linking the Veteran’s service-connected conditions to his cause of death.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of in-service audiological testing, and to obtain additional VA records and private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete medical records and a need for additional opinions regarding the etiology of his conditions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence did not show a nexus between these conditions and active service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as the evidence did not support a finding that it was incurred in or caused by service, and the Veteran's current hearing loss is not presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Veteran's initial service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted, but the claim is being remanded due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are of service origin, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for updated evaluations of his service-connected left ankle Charcot foot, diabetes mellitus with peripheral neuropathy, hearing loss, and tinnitus. The VA will request any additional medical records from 2010 onwards and schedule examinations to assess the current severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a disease or injury in service and no causal relationship to noise exposure. The preponderance of the evidence did not support a finding that the current hearing loss disability began during service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, the highest schedular rating available. The Board also granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, but remanded them due to insufficient evidence or further development is needed.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for an updated VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that he does not have a current disability related to his military service.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability and bilateral hearing loss claims are denied. The Board found no evidence of a right shoulder disability during service or within one year after separation, and the lay statements were not credible. For hearing loss, the earliest possible effective date is July 9, 2008.