Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to a failure to contact the Veteran regarding his notice of disagreement.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability has been rated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period, and there is no evidence of exceptional patterns or other factors warranting a higher rating. The claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss of the left ear is being remanded due to insufficient reasoning in a previous decision and need for additional medical examination.

The Veteran's petition to reopen a claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The appeal for right and left lower extremity burns is dismissed. The appeals for increased evaluations of hearing loss, tinnitus, and residuals of total knee replacement are remanded. The appeal for TDIU prior to January 6, 2017 is also remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and hypertension are granted service connection, while his polyuria is denied. The Veteran also receives a 70% rating for his psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's claim for sleep apnea has been reopened, but service connection is still denied.,The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened, but service connection is still denied.,The Veteran's claim for neck pain disability has been reopened, but service connection is still denied.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and examination, including service connection claims for various conditions. The appellant's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, but the exact nature of his knee, back, cervical spine, and diabetes mellitus disabilities is unclear.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to potential issues with the validity of his service-connected noise exposure. The VA examiner will need to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that these conditions are related to military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for COPD and remanded it due to outstanding VA and private medical records. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are also remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for residuals of a left shoulder injury has been withdrawn. The claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and left ankle DJD are remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence regarding the service connection for tinnitus and the initial disability rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran needs a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his tinnitus, as well as its relationship to his service-connected BHL.

The Board has denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's perforated eardrum and has remanded the issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 50 percent for bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left ear hearing loss and PTSD, as the RO did not substantially comply with its May 2018 remand directives. The Veteran is required to provide information and authorization for additional evidence from private providers, and a VA audiology examination must be scheduled.

The Veteran's tinnitus began in service and has continued to the present.,Bilateral hearing loss manifested more than one year after separation from service and is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to an in-service event, injury or disease.,The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that the Veteran currently has any current underlying disability or chronic residuals from a leech removed from his left ear in service. The Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are not connected to his time in service.,The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that the Veteran currently has blood poisoning and had blood poisoning in service.,Emphysema manifested more than one year after separation and is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to an in-service event, injury or disease.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus (secondary to bilateral hearing loss) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's initial rating for bilateral hearing loss from March 19, 2010 to November 22, 2017 was denied as the disability did not meet the criteria for a compensable (10%) rating. The case is being remanded for further development and evaluation of the claim.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability was rated at 20% from August 22, 2011 to November 3, 2011. After that date, the rating for his bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity that they prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and the Board has determined that he meets the criteria for a TDIU effective November 3, 2015.