Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board denied an initial rating higher than 30 percent for bilateral hearing loss after June 10, 2019 and granted a 10 percent rating from October 3, 2012 to June 10, 2019.

The Board has remanded the cases of bilateral hearing loss and migraines for further examination to determine their etiology and current severity.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, primarily diabetes and associated peripheral neuropathies, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether he is entitled to a TDIU.

The claim for service connection for high cholesterol has been dismissed.,The previously denied claim for service connection for a left ankle condition is reopened, but the new evidence does not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical examination, and a new VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's hearing loss disability is related to his service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his service-connected conditions do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

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 claims for service connection, temporary total evaluations, and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records and verification of his military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus to service or any other compensable condition.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, thoracolumbar spine condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, left leg radiculopathy, and right leg radiculopathy have all been denied.,There is no evidence of a chronic disease in service or within the applicable presumptive period, nor was there continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are related to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's in-service noise exposure was at least contributory to his current condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is not service-connected as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria.,There is insufficient evidence to establish that the Veteran had residuals of head injury during or within one year after service, and his reported in-service fall does not appear to have caused any residual issues.

The Veteran's service-connected unspecified depressive disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are granted. The effective dates for these conditions remain at the date of receipt of the claim to reopen following the final denial in February 2006.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of service connection and rating for eye injuries, prostate disorder, lumbar strain, bilateral hearing loss, and TDIU.

The Veteran's claim to reopen service connection for facial and lip lacerations was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection for coronary artery disease status post heart attack is granted as presumed due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.,PTSD is rated at 50 percent, the maximum under applicable criteria.,Tinnitus remains at a 10 percent rating.,Bilateral hearing loss was initially noncompensable and now rated at 10 percent after January 14, 2019.,Low back disability is rated at 10 percent prior to October 28, 2015, and in excess of 40 percent thereafter. Right knee disability remains at a 10 percent rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current hearing loss did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period and continuity of symptomatology was not established. The disability is considered etiologically unrelated to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to additional development being needed.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's lung cancer is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to his military service. The hearing loss cases are remanded for further action.

The Veteran's claim for additional dependency compensation was denied because he has never been assigned a combined disability rating higher than 10 percent, which is the highest possible rating. As his tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss combine to this maximum rating, he cannot be eligible for additional benefits.