Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,A rating of 20 percent for right ankle strain since May 14, 2019, is granted. Prior to that date, a maximum rating of 10 percent is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of complete medical records, particularly from VA Loma Linda Medical Center. The Veteran is seeking service connection based on in-service noise exposure during his Marine Corps training.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as it is at least as likely as not related to her active service, including noise exposure in service.,The preponderance of the evidence does not support finding that the Veteran’s lung condition began during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, but has remanded other issues including reopening the claim for tinnitus.,Other service connection claims have been remanded due to incomplete verification of periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service connected. The claims for diabetes mellitus, spinal stenosis, and peripheral neuropathy are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the inadmissible audiometric results from the previous VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss prior to October 26, 2017 is remanded due to the need for additional audiological examination results.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria.,The Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD are denied due to lack of diagnosed conditions during the appeal period.,The Veteran's claim for a cervical spine disability is denied because there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service injury related to this condition.,The Veteran's claims for right ankle and left ankle disabilities are denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service injury related to these conditions.,The Veteran's claims for right shoulder and left shoulder disabilities are denied because there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service injury related to these conditions.

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

The Veteran's application to reopen claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus has been granted. The Board has determined that the evidence is at least as likely as not that these conditions are related to his military service, but has also found that more information is needed regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, TMJ, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to military sexual trauma. The reasons include a lack of VA examination opinions on etiology and issues related to verification of stressor events.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable evaluation prior to July 11, 2019, and a rating in excess of 30 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, low back, and left knee degenerative joint disease were denied as new evidence did not show a relationship to service.,The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was remanded due to the need for further examination.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as he is capable of performing the physical and mental acts required by, at least, employment that has less interaction with people.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression) is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during active duty due to significant noise exposure.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for a compensable rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss prior to September 6, 2013 and a rating greater than 10 percent thereafter. The evidence did not support these increased ratings.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate reasoning in a previous VA medical opinion. The Veteran is seeking compensation for left ear hearing loss, which he claims was caused by negligence during three surgeries performed in 1977.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or were related to in-service injuries.,Service connection was also denied for benign prostatic hypertrophy/hyperplasia and lower urinary tract symptoms with obstruction. There was no evidence of onset during service or relationship to in-service injuries.

The claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss and COPD have been reopened, but the Veteran's request to reopen his dental disorder, back disorder, trigger finger condition in both hands, acquired psychiatric disorder (including bipolar disorder, adjustment disorder, impulse disorder, and anxiety), and PTSD claims are being remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records.