Hearing loss decisions — 2019

Your appeal has been dismissed without prejudice due to the Veteran's death. The case will be closed unless a proper substitution is filed within one year.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD, as they are related to service. Additional medical examinations will be conducted to determine the relationship between these conditions and service.

The Board has determined that an effective date earlier than September 17, 2013 for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is not warranted. The Veteran did not file a claim prior to this date. The case is remanded for additional development including obtaining VA and non-VA treatment records and securing any outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbar spine strain, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as there was no evidence that VA failed to notify him or made an error in his address.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and an addendum opinion. The current evidence does not establish whether his hearing loss began during service or is related to exposure to excessive noise during active duty.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for thyroid condition, DM, congestive heart failure, and HTN are denied due to lack of in-service exposure or a nexus to service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his hearing acuity has been consistently at Level I, which corresponds to a 0 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment for the periods specified, leading to a grant of TDIU.

The Board has granted the appellant's claim for tinnitus, but has remanded his hearing loss disability claim due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, requiring a new one with proper consideration of continuity of symptoms.

The Veteran's service is not considered active duty during any period of war, thus denying eligibility for VA nonservice-connected pension benefits.

The Board has granted service connection for Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the left and right ankles, as well as Tinnitus and Right ear hearing loss. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions due to missing records and additional development.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete service treatment records from October 2011 to May 2012. The RO is instructed to seek these records and notify the Veteran if they are unavailable.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been assigned a noncompensable rating, as his impairment levels do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claim is therefore denied.

The appeal as to the issue of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral foot disorder is dismissed. The appeals for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete examination opinions regarding the Veteran's left ear disability, including hearing loss and otitis. The examiner must provide a complete opinion addressing whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected. The initial evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for earlier effective dates and higher ratings for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus was denied.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected tinnitus was also denied.