Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss including otosclerosis due to lack of verification of periods of active duty, ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA.

The Board denied service connection for skin disability and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, as well as the Veteran's claim for individual unemployability (TDIU). The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran’s skin condition or bilateral hearing loss were related to his active service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions were incurred during active military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, chronic staphylococcal infection, clostridium difficile, nocturnal hypersexuality, and depression.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is related to military acoustic trauma. The Veteran must provide additional evidence or undergo a new examination.

The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 20 percent prior to December 17, 2017 and since April 27, 2019. A rating in excess of 20 percent from December 17, 2017 to April 27, 2019 is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction, right ear hearing loss, and hypertension as secondary to diabetes mellitus type II. The case is remanded for further examination regarding left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's diabetes is related to exposure to herbicides during service in Korea and service connection for this condition is granted. The Board also found that the Veteran has a nerve condition, skin cancer, fibromyalgia, arthritis, hearing loss, tinnitus, and a psychiatric disorder (PTSD, depression, or anxiety) that are presumed to be related to his exposure to herbicides during service in Korea.

The claim to reopen the service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is granted. However, the remanded issue of determining whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to service remains unresolved.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at the maximum allowable rating of 10 percent.,There is no evidence to support a finding that the Veteran has a current left shoulder disability or that any such disability began during service. The preponderance of the evidence is against this claim.,Similarly, there is no evidence to support a finding that the Veteran has a current right knee disability or that any such disability began during service. The preponderance of the evidence is against this claim.,The VA examiner found no objective evidence of a current thoracolumbar spine disability and concluded that any such disability was not related to service, including in-service lumbarization of the S1 vertebrae.,VA audiometric testing did not reveal left ear hearing loss for VA purposes. Right ear hearing loss was noted on both sets of audiometer findings but only during the first set.,Right ear hearing loss was noted on both sets of audiometer findings, with a significant difference in results between the two sets.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as service-connected. The Board found that the Veteran had noise exposure during service, which is considered sufficient to establish a connection with his current conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's left leg ganglion cyst and any residual scarring. The appeal is otherwise pending.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection as the evidence is in equipoise that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current hearing impairment is likely related to his military service due to noise exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and back disorder are found to be related to service. However, the Board is unable to determine if his diabetes mellitus or hypertension were incurred in service due to lack of evidence.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for prior to October 31, 2018 was denied as his unemployability was not solely due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims due to failure to comply with a prior remand order for obtaining VA treatment records. The Veteran is entitled to further review of his claims.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no current diagnosis of a disability that meets VA's definition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings for bilateral tympanic scarring post tympanoplasty and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under applicable VA regulations.