Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss has been denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating under VA's rating schedule.

The Veteran's tinnitus was incurred during service and has been recurrent since then. The Board grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is manifested by no worse than Level IV hearing acuity in his right ear and Level I hearing acuity in his left ear, warranting a 0% rating. The criteria for a compensable rating are not met.

The Board has determined that the July 2013 VA examination is inadequate and requires a new opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The case is remanded for further development.

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

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to March 23, 2016 is being remanded due to the need to obtain VA treatment records from October 7, 2015.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities were denied. His bilateral hearing loss was rated as noncompensable, diabetes mellitus was rated at 20 percent, and both peripheral neuropathy conditions were also rated at 20 percent.

The Veteran's asbestosis is rated at 100% since December 6, 2017. The Board denied reopening the claim for service connection of a seizure disorder due to lack of evidence establishing an organic pathology.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and service-connected right knee disability did not prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to September 15, 2006. The Board found that his other service-connected conditions, including posttraumatic stress disorder and lumbosacral strain, also did not render him unemployable.

The Veteran's tinnitus, residuals of a head injury (including hearing loss and/or tinnitus), chronic fatigue syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sleep disorder, joint pain, and muscle pain are not service-connected.,While the Veteran reported symptoms related to these conditions during his military service, there is no evidence in the record that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by such service. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claims for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The evidence received since the final decisions is either cumulative or redundant of previous evidence.

The Veteran's right ear disability, tympanic membrane perforation of the right ear, was noted at enlistment and not aggravated during service. The preexisting right ear hearing loss was also noted at enlistment and did not increase in severity during service.,The Veteran's left ear hearing loss was not shown during service or for many years thereafter, and is not related to service. Tinnitus was present at separation from service.

The Board has granted service connection for left homonymous hemianopsia (LHH) and denied service connection for bilateral eye disabilities other than LHH, including refractive error and nuclear sclerosis cataracts, as well as left ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure, and thus service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his medical records.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and VA examinations to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and to address the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss but denied the claim as there is no evidence that his current hearing loss disability was incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA audiological examination to determine if he currently has a hearing loss disability for VA purposes. Service connection will be decided based on the merits of his claim.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his military service. Service connection was denied for sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence of its onset during service.