Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability and left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran did not have an in-service injury or noise exposure that led to these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss due to noise exposure is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of BHL and was exposed to acoustic trauma in-service, leading to his current condition.

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

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran and the need for further examination.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claim for chronic conjunctivitis due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's current hearing acuity does not meet VA compensation criteria, while his eye disorder needs further evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently manifested by hearing impairment corresponding to no higher than an auditory acuity of Level II in the right ear and Level III in the left ear. As a result, he does not meet the criteria for any compensable rating under VA's rating schedule.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable due to the severity of his hearing acuity levels, which do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The evidence is in equipoise that both conditions are related to acoustic trauma sustained during service.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease and bilateral hearing loss disability, finding that the evidence did not support a causal link to service.,There was no credible evidence linking the current conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inextricably intertwined issues and requests for further action on severance of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as a determination regarding whether these conditions were incurred during ACDUTRA.

The Board has remanded several issues for further action, including a new VA examination for the right knee disorder and preparation of an SOC for other claims.

The Board has granted service connection for right elbow/forearm tendinopathy, bilateral hearing loss, and erectile dysfunction. A 40% rating for hypertension is granted effective October 1, 2012.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI), to include neurocognitive and major depressive disorders. The Veteran's conditions are found to be related to his military service.

The Board has denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hip disorder, left ankle disability, and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy due to incomplete evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss disability did not manifest within a year of separation from service and is not related to in-service noise exposure. The issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for PTSD and to service connection for erectile dysfunction are remanded due to new evidence and need further examination.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary due to the Veteran's assertions of current bilateral ear, gynecological and hearing loss disabilities incurred during active duty.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his active service, specifically in-service noise exposure. The VA examiner concluded that an opinion could not be provided without resorting to speculation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened. The claim for a rating greater than 10 percent for hypertension has been denied. The Board has ordered the case remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records, schedule the Veteran for an examination regarding his bilateral hearing loss, and provide an addendum medical opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left knee osteoarthritis, PTSD, CAD, right ankle osteoarthritis, and shrapnel wound scars, are rated at a combined 90 percent. The Board finds that these conditions render the Veteran unable to maintain substantially gainful employment due to their severity and nature.