Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The appeal for service connection for hypertension has been dismissed. The appeals for service connection for osteoarthritis of the low back, a left hip condition (to include as secondary to service-connected degenerative arthritis of the right hip), bilateral hearing loss, and renal condition are all remanded.

The Veteran's increased disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a more contemporaneous VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and an addendum medical opinion regarding the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, specifically addressing whether it is related to service-connected conditions or other factors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 0 percent for his bilateral hearing loss disability on an extraschedular basis, finding that the schedular evaluation did not adequately contemplate his hearing loss disability level and symptomatology.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition and its impact on daily living.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has not been manifested by hearing acuity worse than Level I in either ear, resulting in a noncompensable rating for his service-connected hearing loss.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claims of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, but has found that a remand is necessary to obtain updated medical records and to schedule the Veteran for an examination by an ENT specialist.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but denied service connection for tinnitus.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as the Veteran withdrew his appeal before a decision was made.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been dismissed. The Board did not address the merits of these claims, but rather found that the Veteran withdrew his appeal as to all issues related to a rash, tonsillitis, dysuria, coagulase, dyspnea, gastroenteritis, myalgia, residuals of a right elbow fracture, costochondritis, and hearing loss. The appeals for service connection on tinnitus, back disability, headache disability, residuals of a head injury, vertigo, and eye disability are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link to in-service noise exposure or acoustic trauma.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a sleep disorder, and a deviated septum/chronic sinus disorder. The Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection as his claims were based on direct evidence rather than presumptive exposure or secondary to another condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, and a new VA examination is needed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate medical opinion in the July 2012 VA examination. The Veteran is entitled to a new VA examination to determine if his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to military noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's current conditions are considered to be related to in-service exposure to loud noise (acoustic trauma).

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to noise exposure in service. The Veteran's claim is being reviewed again as his previous claims were not final.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the Veteran's hearing loss not being related to military service, but may be secondary to his service-connected tinnitus. The case will be reviewed with an expert examiner to determine if there is any connection between the Veteran's hearing loss and his tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for left ear hearing loss prior to June 3, 2016, and a rating greater than 10 percent thereafter is denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increase in disability rating.

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

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The claims of service connection for left thumb, right ankle, and right knee disorders were reopened due to new evidence received since the March 2003 decision.