Hearing loss decisions — 2019

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

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus, and actinic keratosis and seborrheic keratosis. The Veteran was exposed to noise in Vietnam during his military service but did not have a valid audiogram at separation from service. He has provided lay statements regarding the onset of his symptoms since service. Additional VA examinations are needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating, as it is currently manifested by Level I hearing acuity in both ears.

An initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,An initial rating of 30 percent, but no higher, for an unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder is granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service connected due to noise exposure during reserve duty.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the case for further examination regarding tinnitus.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence does not support a link between these conditions and active military service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but granted service connection for tinnitus. The case is remanded to obtain the Veteran's military personnel records and determine the etiology of his thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The AOJ must obtain her complete service personnel records and service treatment records, as well as military dependent treatment records from multiple military facilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were granted with an effective date of May 17, 2017. The Board denied a request for earlier effective dates.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to new evidence received since a final August 2009 rating decision that relates to the basis for the prior denial and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was dismissed because he withdrew the appeal before a decision could be made.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as the evidence does not show a current disability or that any such disabilities are related to military service.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to in-service hazardous noise exposure and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the VA examination for hearing loss and tinnitus is inadequate, as it did not consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding his in-service noise exposure. The appeal is being remanded to obtain a new examination.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for residuals of healed injury right wrist is denied as the evidence does not show ankylosis or more than limitation of motion.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is denied because there is no current diagnosis of these conditions, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support their onset during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, specifically for bilateral hearing loss and thyroid condition. The remaining issues are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has decided that the Veteran is entitled to service connection for residuals of right ear surgery, but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient medical opinion.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service connected, with no specific rating assigned and effective date not specified.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis and enthesopathy, bilateral hearing loss, left shoulder disability, tinnitus, and cognitive disability (including Alzheimer's disease) are all granted as service-connected. The Veteran is also eligible for an automobile and/or specially adapted equipment.