Hearing loss decisions — 2018

The Board has granted the claim for service connection for tinnitus, but has remanded the claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss due to additional evidence being needed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma, bilateral hearing loss, residuals of a traumatic brain injury, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depressive disorder) were denied. The decision also noted that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of a traumatic brain injury or an acquired psychiatric disorder to include a major depressive disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of right ear hearing loss and has not had one at any time during the pendency of the claim or recent to the filing of the claim.,For the left ear, the Veteran's disability is manifested by no more than an average puretone threshold, with speech recognition scores of no lower than 100 percent.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a disability under VA regulations and was not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence in some cases and a need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for TMJ disorder, hearing loss, tinnitus, and a back disorder due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining psychiatric medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine if service connection can be established for bilateral pes planus, bilateral hearing loss, and a psychiatric disability.

Service connection is denied for shin splints, left leg and right leg.,Service connection is denied for gout in the left foot, left ankle, left knee, and right knee.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current hearing loss and his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded for further evaluation and audiometric testing.

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

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss has been rated at 0 percent since July 17, 2013. The Board found that the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's hearing loss may have worsened since his last VA examination, and he should be provided an opportunity to report for a VA examination. Additionally, the claims file lacks recent VA treatment records which need to be obtained.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and pseudofolliculitis barbae were granted. The claim for a right shoulder disability was dismissed due to the Veteran's request for withdrawal of the appeal. The right foot disability claim is remanded as there are outstanding records that need to be secured.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran does not have a current disability related to hearing impairment, as his auditory thresholds do not meet the regulatory requirements of hearing loss disability for VA purposes. For tinnitus, the Board found that there is sufficient evidence to establish service connection due to noise exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and prostate cancer due to lack of adequate medical opinions. The Veteran's active service history is noted, but further examination is required to determine if his current conditions are related to his military service.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was incurred during service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for extensive cervical intraepithelial neoplasia is being remanded due to the possibility that it may have been aggravated by service. The hearing loss and tinnitus claims are also being remanded as no VA examiner has provided an opinion on these issues.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and its relation to service. The VA examiner needs to review all relevant audiograms from the Veteran's STRs, consider his history of ear infections, and provide a clear opinion on whether his current hearing loss is related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted. The Board has also determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is secondary to his service-connected status post bilateral inguinal hernia repairs, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for scars associated with his inguinal repairs is denied.