Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is not considered to have contributed substantially or materially to his death from dementia and aspiration pneumonia. However, the Board finds that a remand is necessary to consider whether there was CUE in denying service connection for hearing defect.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is now rated at 40 percent effective January 12, 2017. The previous rating of zero percent was increased to 40 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his anxiety disorder alone did not render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected due to in-service noise exposure.,An initial compensable rating of 10 percent for the right ring finger fracture is granted, with a maximum potential rating of 20 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is related to his in-service noise exposure and resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to an inadequate medical opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a nexus to service.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and lung disease. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment prior to his death.

The Board dismissed the appeals for left ear hearing loss, right thumb scars, and right ear hearing loss. The Veteran's PTSD was granted a total disability rating.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for breathing problems, neck disability, right knee disability, right ankle disability, ulcerative colitis, pre-cancer of the colon (claimed as colon cancer), headaches, epigastric hernia, and bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, including any noise exposure therein.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence for a TDIU claim, including the need for updated examinations of PTSD and hearing loss.

The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at level II prior to June 4, 2012. From that date until June 21, 2016, the rating for bilateral hearing loss was granted at a 10 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's tinnitus is presumed to have been incurred in active service. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not manifested in service and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service. Service connection for prostatitis with reoccurring urinary tract infections is granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding their onset during service due to noise exposure. The appeals are therefore granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete information in his service records, including when he first experienced symptoms of tinnitus. The VA will need to clarify this timeline and conduct further examinations to determine if there is a link between the Veteran's current conditions and his military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus should be remanded due to insufficient evidence. An additional VA examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his in-service exposure to hazardous noise.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities were denied as there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active military service.

The Board denied entitlement to a compensable initial disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for PTSD, and service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the legs. The Veteran's appeal was not about service connection at all.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and recurrent earaches due to inadequate rationale in previous VA examination opinions. The Veteran's lay evidence of hearing problems within a year after service is not addressed.