Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The appeal of entitlement to service connection for a jaw condition is dismissed. The issues of entitlement to service connection for head injury and neck disability, sleep apnea, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims file is incomplete and requires further development to adjudicate his service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and the application to reopen a previously denied claim of service connection for Lyme disease. The Veteran's claims were not substantiated due to lack of evidence linking his conditions to military service.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began in or were related to service.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for the assignment of a 10 percent rating for hepatitis and for service connection for bilateral hearing loss have been denied as there is no evidence that an increase in disability occurred within one year prior to September 17, 2011.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to issues with scheduling a VA examination for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's claim will be reviewed again after the necessary information and evidence are obtained.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for tinnitus has been dismissed. The Board also remanded the issue of his hearing loss, requesting that he be scheduled for an examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, bilateral flat feet, and lumbar spine degenerative joint disease are all granted as service connected.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service connected, but his squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to military exposure.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not related to his active duty service, and the claim of reopening the service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability is rated as zero percent disabling under the rating criteria for defective hearing. The VA examinations and audiometric testing do not show any worsening of his hearing acuity, thus no higher rating can be granted.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and remanded the issue of service connection for a lumbar spine disorder due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's service in Vietnam is alleged to have exposed him to noise trauma, leading to ear infections and hearing loss. The RO has already granted service connection for acute otitis media right, but the Board finds that further development is needed to determine if his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are secondary to this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent prior to May 25, 2017 and 40 percent thereafter. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either period.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, and headaches as there was no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence.,The Veteran's claims were not supported by medical evidence showing the presence of these conditions during or after service.

The Board has remanded the case to determine if extraschedular consideration is warranted for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depressive disorder and PTSD), and a cervical spine disability have been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. However, service connection remains denied as there is no clear evidence that these conditions are related to his military service.,Service connection has not been established for left ear infection, colon cancer, stroke, or low back disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hip disability, right ear hearing loss, or right knee disability. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.