Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches has been reopened and granted. The claims for service connection for pes planus, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, upper respiratory condition (including sinusitis), pulmonary condition (including emphysema, COPD, and chronic airway obstruction not elsewhere classified), sleep apnea, heart condition, and gastrointestinal condition have been remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the VA examiner's opinion on the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and his obstructive sleep apnea is inadequate. The case is therefore being remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical evidence and conduct further examination to determine if the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection of low back disability, right knee disability, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board dismissed the appeal for left ear sensorineural hearing loss and granted service connection for right ear sensorineural hearing loss, reopening the claim based on new evidence. The Veteran's current right ear hearing loss is presumed to be related to her military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for arthritis or residuals of fractured shoulder, bilateral hearing loss, residuals of a concussion or fracture of the skull causing mental instability with memory loss or bipolar disorder and resulting in an aneurysm, headaches, and acquired psychiatric condition (including PTSD) due to additional evidence being needed.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and remanded the issues of rating COPD and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and increased the rating for PTSD to 50 percent effective from May 24, 2011. The Veteran's current symptoms of depression, anxiety, and sleep impairment are considered sufficient to warrant a higher initial rating.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to clarify the Veteran's periods of active service and to obtain any outstanding military personnel records. The Veteran also needs VA examinations for his claimed disabilities, including neck disability, left foot disability, right foot disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, left wrist disability, right wrist disability, bilateral hearing loss disability, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and acquired psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is remanded for an addendum opinion to clarify whether it was caused by noise exposure in service or impacted cerumen in service.

The Board denied service connection for scoliosis of the lumbar spine, bilateral hearing loss, and hypertension. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder was also not granted service connection.,Service connection for tinnitus remains pending as it is currently rated at 10%.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for hepatitis C, human papilloma virus (HPV), a skin disorder to include skin cancer and penile cancer, a heart disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to incomplete records and procedural issues.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability as the Veteran does not have a current disability that began during service or is at least as likely as not related to service.

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

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss and left foot disability was granted. The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the General Rating Formula. The issue of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities has been remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 20 percent prior to January 30, 2013 and 30 percent thereafter. The Board finds the evidence does not support a higher rating for any period.

The Board denied reopening the claim of service connection for a left ear hearing loss disability because the new evidence did not show that it was aggravated during active service.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted. Service connection for erectile dysfunction, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and headaches are denied.,A rating in excess of 50 percent for headaches is denied. From May 13, 2017, a TDIU is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal as his timely substantive appeal was not filed within the required time frame for a claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss.