Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus is etiologically related to his active duty service. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability within one year post-service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and diabetes mellitus, type II were denied. The claim for an initial rating greater than 30 percent for bilateral hearing loss was also denied.

The Board has remanded several issues for further examination and opinion, including right shoulder, low back, bilateral knee, right foot ingrown toenails, sinus disability, and obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran's service connection claims are not granted as there is no current diagnosis or evidence of a relationship to service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issue of service connection for a psychiatric disorder (claimed as schizophrenia). The claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied due to lack of evidence linking current hearing loss to service. For the psychiatric disorder, additional VA treatment records are needed and a VA examination should be scheduled.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate VA medical opinions, failure to obtain all relevant service treatment records, and potential aggravation by civilian employment.

The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus, as it is reasonably shown to have been manifested continuously since service. However, the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was denied as there is no evidence of continuity of hearing loss postservice prior to decades after discharge.,Service connection for tinnitus was established based on the Veteran's credible self-reports and the presumption of chronicity for organic diseases of the nervous system.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are not related to service, including noise exposure during active duty. As such, the claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of a current disability related to in-service acoustic trauma. The dental issues are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased rating for tinnitus and hearing loss have been dismissed due to his death while the appeal was pending.

The Board has dismissed all issues of service connection as the Veteran died before a decision was made.

The Veteran's right and left ear hearing loss claims are remanded due to the need for a new examination.

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for malaria, dysentery, and burns on the back has been withdrawn by his attorney.,The Veteran’s coronary artery disease, status post myocardial infarction and coronary artery bypass graft surgery, is currently rated as 30 percent disabling. The Board finds that an evaluation greater than 30 percent is not warranted based on the evidence of record.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability was remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether his hearing loss disability underwent an increase during active service.,The Veteran’s appeal for service connection for trench foot was remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of his subungual pigmentation of the great right toe.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for shrapnel wound to the chest was remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the origin of the scar on his left upper chest.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new evidence showing a link between the Veteran's military service and his current condition. The claim is granted as the evidence supports that the hearing loss was incurred during service.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss but granted it for right ear hearing loss. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible assertions of in-service noise exposure and continuity of symptoms.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and left foot neuropathy are rated at the lowest possible levels. The right foot neuropathy is rated as 20 percent prior to April 9, 2012, but not higher.

The Veteran's death was caused by a gunshot wound to the head, but service connection for the cause of his death cannot be established as it is not linked to his active service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted. The Board found that the current conditions are related to his military service, despite some conflicting medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD was denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current hearing loss disability under VA regulations, and the Veteran’s PTSD symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as he meets the schedular criteria for a combined rating of 90% due to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, which renders him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's case is being remanded to determine the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss symptoms and to evaluate his service connection for erectile dysfunction.