Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claims for higher disability ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence, including Social Security records.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions require him to need regular aid and attendance, thus he is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) for aid and attendance.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is due to noise exposure during his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for recurrent lumbar strain and reopened the previously denied claim of service connection for low back disorder. Service connection is also granted for left knee disorder, but bilateral hearing loss remains in dispute.

The appeal concerning earlier effective date of June 7, 1993 for the grant of service connection for traumatic brain injury is dismissed. The Veteran's claims for higher disability ratings and an effective date prior to July 2, 2014 for TBI are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability.,Service connection for Vitamin D deficiency is denied because it is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes.,Periodontal disease (gingivitis) is not considered a compensable disability, and the Veteran's claim must be denied.,The Veteran's vertigo is rated as 10 percent disabling based on occasional dizziness. A higher rating of 30 percent is not warranted due to lack of evidence of staggering.,Tinnitus in the left ear is currently assigned a 10 percent rating, which is the maximum available under Diagnostic Code 6260.,The Veteran's exercise-induced asthma does not meet the criteria for a compensable initial rating based on his PFT results and medication use.,Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is rated as noncompensable due to lack of specific diagnostic codes, with GERD being rated by analogy under Diagnostic Code 7399-7346.

The Veteran's application to reopen claims for service connection for various conditions has been granted. The specific conditions include low back strain, hearing loss, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, anxiety, and depression), and residuals of exposure to tuberculosis disease.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not shown to be related to service, and the Board found no evidence of continuity of symptomatology or a nexus between current hearing loss and in-service noise exposure. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and skin disease, including metastatic melanoma, due to outstanding VA treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) disability records. The Veteran was unable to attend VA examinations for his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examinations. The issues include left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, PTSD, sleep apnea, and hiatal hernia with GERD and esophagitis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure, and service connection for this condition is granted. The right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be less likely than not related to service.

The Veteran's service records do not show any complaints or diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, or a psychiatric disability to include mood disorder during his active duty. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have current disabilities for which he can seek service connection.,There is no evidence in the record showing that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, or a psychiatric disability to include mood disorder related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for memory loss, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence. The appellant's service treatment records do not show any complaints or diagnoses of these conditions during his active duty. However, he was exposed to noise in service which may be related to his current hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise on whether these conditions are related to military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and psychiatric impairments, specifically his social isolation. The Veteran will be provided with additional VA medical records and asked to provide private treatment information. He will also undergo a VA examination for an opinion on whether his service-connected bilateral hearing loss results in social isolation.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 20 percent from July 10, 2015 to August 3, 2018. Prior to this period and after this period, the disability was not compensable.

The Board has denied reopening the left ear hearing loss claim and denied a right ear hearing loss rating, but granted a noncompensable evaluation for the right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Bilateral hearing loss disability has not been established as a current disability for VA purposes.,High cholesterol is not considered a disability for which service connection can be granted.,Hypertension and prostate disorder are not found to have begun during active service or be related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.,Service connection for prostate disorder is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of a rating in excess of 20 percent for his lumbar spine disability and a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss due to incomplete examinations and lack of relevant SSA records.

The appeal as to tinnitus was granted and dismissed as moot. The claim for reopening of hearing loss was granted, but the remand order requires further development before a decision can be made.