Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted, with the condition that it became manifest in service and has persisted since.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus was reopened. Service connection for left ear sensorineural hearing loss is granted, while right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about the fairness of previous VA examinations and because the Veteran believes his hearing loss disability has worsened.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection as they are related to noise exposure in service.,The Veteran's depression has also been granted service connection, with the opinion stating it is aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability.

Service connection for hearing loss has been reconsidered and reopened.,Service connection for hypertension was denied.,Service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis is granted with an effective date of August 20, 2003.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted but the effective date is earlier than November 6, 2014.

Service connection is granted for hypertension. The Veteran developed hypertension in service and there is no evidence of pre-existing condition.,Service connection is denied for bilateral hearing loss as the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a disability based on current audiometric findings.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as his service-connected disabilities make it impossible for him to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board dismissed the issue of a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss due to the Veteran's withdrawal.,An initial rating of 70 percent was granted for PTSD, reflecting occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.,The Veteran’s GERD was denied an increased rating as his symptoms did not meet criteria warranting a higher than 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD and anxiety is remanded due to conflicting medical evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and opinion regarding the presence of current hearing loss in both ears, as well as its relationship 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 current disability during or within one year after service separation. The Board also found that the Veteran's current hearing loss did not have its onset in service and is less likely related to his period of active service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and PTSD are granted, with an initial disability rating of 50% for unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to address the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and personnel records from the Department of Veterans Affairs. An updated VA examination is also required to assess the current severity of his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's left ear hearing loss claim, specifically a lack of consideration of an audiogram from May 1972 and the Veteran's lay statement.

The Board denied service connection for left eye disorder, tinnitus, hepatitis C, hypertension, and bilateral hearing loss as there was no competent medical evidence to support the Veteran's claims.,Service connection could not be established because there were no in-service incurrences or manifestations of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The remaining issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, right and left knee disabilities, and skin cancer are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for a left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and TDIU due to incomplete development.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability is being remanded for a more contemporaneous VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected condition.