Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for depression, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a duty to assist error in obtaining an adequate VA examination.

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

The Board has denied a higher rating for lumbar strain and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has determined that the VA audiological examinations are inadequate to decide the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to noise exposure during active service. The Veteran's 1962 induction audiogram results and 1966 separation audiogram results were reported under the ASA scale, which is not applicable after July 1966 when VA adopted the ISO standard. Therefore, an addendum medical opinion is needed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The VA needs to obtain an updated medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's current hearing loss is related to his service, including noise exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of a disability due to impaired hearing at any point.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, and anxiety disorder are all granted service connection. The conditions were found to be related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's hearing impairment was rated as Level I in the right ear and Level II in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable rating for bilateral hearing loss disability. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss was found to be at level IX in the right ear and level I in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable evaluation throughout the appeal period.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for coronary artery disease, and found that new and material evidence had not been received. The claims for tuberculosis, diabetes mellitus type 2, respiratory issues, left knee degenerative joint disease, bilateral hearing loss, postoperative residuals of left shoulder dislocation, hiatal hernia with history of esophagitis and esophageal polyp were all denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and has remanded the case to determine if a compensable rating should be assigned for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and left forearm scar as they are not adequately addressed in the current record. The Veteran needs to provide updated VA treatment records, especially from his private physician, and a new examination is required to assess the severity of his conditions.

The Veteran's initial evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to incomplete VA medical records and the need for specific clinical findings from audiological evaluations.

The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for tinnitus are remanded due to the need for new VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for tendonitis/bursitis of the left shoulder was dismissed. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a respiratory condition (claimed as asthma and bronchitis), and GERD were remanded.

The Veteran's initial increased ratings for service-connected bilateral hearing loss prior to October 2, 2018 and from October 2, 2018 are denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a dental condition due to trauma is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and left eye disability due to a lack of proper notice and scheduling of VA examinations.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, traumatic brain injury, and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran was granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.