Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss is denied as his current level of hearing acuity does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of evidence.

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

The Veteran's posttraumatic stress disorder with alcohol abuse is now rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of the May 2009 rating decision. The Veteran also meets the schedular requirements for individual unemployability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for reactive polycythemia was denied as the condition clearly and unmistakably existed prior to his service and did not worsen during service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was granted with an effective date of May 14, 2016. The Veteran is seeking a prior effective date.,The claim for tinnitus was denied as there is no legal basis for a rating higher than the maximum schedular rating (10%).,Service connection for bilateral pes planus was granted with an effective date of May 14, 2016. The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date.,The claim for initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no legal basis for a higher rating than the maximum schedular rating (0%).,The claim for initial compensable disability rating for tinnitus on an extraschedular basis is remanded due to disagreement with the 10% rating.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left elbow disability is dismissed. The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss (right ear) and left ear.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss, service connection for a right hip disorder secondary to his left tibia fracture with residual pain and arthritis, and service connection for a left hip disorder secondary to his right hip disorder. The RO is instructed to obtain updated VA treatment records, MEB records related to the Veteran's attempt to re-enlist in 2001, and an adequate etiological opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hip disabilities and his in-service injury.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss and granted service connection for left ear hearing loss. The decision on right ear hearing loss is based on the lack of evidence meeting VA criteria for a current disability, while the decision on left ear hearing loss finds at least an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there is no evidence of a current disability that is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's hearing loss was rated noncompensable from May 10, 2012 to July 6, 2017.,The Veteran's hearing loss was rated 20 percent from July 7, 2017 forward.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service exposure, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as the Veteran does not have current hearing loss in either ear to a recognized extent.,The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was previously denied, but new evidence received since the July 2007 denial relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating it.

The Board has granted service connection for skin cancer and tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or acoustic trauma. The Veteran's current hearing loss disability is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss was withdrawn. The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed.,The claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus is denied. The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that the Veteran's tinnitus began during active service, manifested during the initial post separation year, or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the evaluation of degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's claims are being remanded to allow for further examination and consideration.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of hearing loss for VA purposes, and the Board finds that his current hearing loss can be attributed to normal progression of aging.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's preexisting conditions were aggravated by his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for Meniere's disease with hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.