Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and headaches due to incomplete examination reports. The Veteran is required to provide information about any healthcare providers who have treated his conditions and to reschedule missed examinations.

The Board has determined that new evidence has been added to the claims file and that VA treatment records are missing. The Veteran's right shoulder, lumbar spine, and bilateral hearing loss disabilities have also increased in severity since his last examination. Therefore, the case is being remanded for further action.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his service connection claim for hearing loss in the right ear was granted. Service connection is also granted for hearing loss in the left ear, but a rating decision is remanded due to lack of relevant medical records.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and earlier effective dates are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records.,These cases involve multiple issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hearing loss, degenerative arthritis of the spine, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and a TDIU.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for right shoulder, right knee and left knee disabilities were dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeals prior to a decision being made.,The Veteran's appeals for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD and TBI, and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left varicocele are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 100 percent effective December 19, 2016. The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to that date due to unclear audiometry results.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and bilateral hearing loss due to in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed again with new evidence considered.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to deficiencies in the VA audiological examination report and conflicting opinions regarding the etiology of his back disorder, right pes planus, left pes planus, and allergic sinus disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, but the issue of service connection for tinnitus is remanded due to a failure to provide a Statement of the Case.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, and TDIU due to new evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board denies his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus type II, tinnitus, and peripheral neuropathy, rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to December 22, 2016.

The Veteran's hearing loss claims are being remanded due to the need for a more contemporaneous examination, and his TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, type II, was denied. The effective date for the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, was also denied.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied. The effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was assigned on March 29, 2017.

The Veteran's chronic headaches, bilateral hearing loss, and sweating spells are being remanded for further evaluation. The Board will consider service connection for these conditions based on the merits of the claims.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to new evidence received since his last Statement of the Case. The Veteran is requested to provide information about any recent medical care providers and updated VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss had its onset during active service and is related to his military noise exposure. As a result, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently evaluated as zero percent disabling, or noncompensable. The Board found the evidence does not support a compensable rating for his disability.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for prostate cancer service connection and SMC based on the need for aid and attendance are being remanded due to a lack of contemporaneous medical examination.