Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss but denied service connection for left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is found to be related to his military service, while there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or link between the left ear hearing loss and service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including panic disorder with agoraphobia and bilateral tinnitus, made him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of October 6, 2014. The effective date for the grant of TDIU is set at October 18, 2015.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding the evidence in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to active duty.

For the period prior to November 3, 2018, the Veteran was granted a TDIU based on his service-connected coronary artery disease. For the period beginning November 3, 2018, the claim for a TDIU is moot as he has been granted a 100% disability rating for dementia.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for generalized anxiety disorder was dismissed as the appeal had already been activated into the Board’s Legacy appeals system.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The June 2019 audiometric test results showed that the Veteran met criteria for a 10 percent disability rating, which is the maximum allowed under DC 6100.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was denied as it already received the maximum schedular rating authorized under Diagnostic Code 6260.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for type II diabetes mellitus was denied. The June 2019 audiometric test results showed that the Veteran met criteria for a 10 percent disability rating, which is the maximum allowed under DC 7913.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 9, 2019 for the award of an increased 100 percent disability rating for coronary artery disease status post myocardial infraction and coronary artery bypass graft surgery was denied. The increase in disability did not meet the one-year criteria.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 9, 2019 for basic eligibility for Dependents’ Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 was denied as he had a permanent and total service-connected disability from May 9, 2019.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than May 9, 2019 for the grant of special monthly compensation based on housebound criteria was denied as his disabilities did not meet the percentage requirements prior to that date.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is claimed as related to service, but the claims file does not contain sufficient records to determine this relationship.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the preponderance of the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and active duty service.

Your claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted, and the issue is now moot.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of additional dependent compensation for his spouse is granted, with the effective date set at March 1, 2019.

The Veteran is granted entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) beginning December 1, 2010 due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus and his in-service noise exposure.

Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is granted.,Service connection for an anxiety disorder is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to June 16, 2015, and for ratings in excess of 40 percent thereafter has been withdrawn. The remaining issues - service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, and sacroiliac disabilities - are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied, but his claim for tinnitus was granted.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is in relative equipoise regarding whether the Veteran's current disability was incurred in service. The claim will be granted as a result.

The Veteran's claim for hearing loss of the left ear was denied as there is no current disability. The Veteran's tinnitus claim was granted as it is at least as likely as not related to in-service hazardous noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities prior to May 24, 2007 is being remanded for further consideration by the Director, Compensation Service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have hearing loss for VA purposes, and therefore denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a lung disability due to the lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or any other valid basis.