Hearing loss decisions — 2019

Service connection for left ear hearing loss is granted.,Service connection for PTSD is granted.,The appeal of the issue of entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected tinnitus is dismissed.,The appeal of the issue of entitlement to an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for right ear hearing loss is dismissed.,The appeal of the issue of entitlement to an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is dismissed.,Service connection for a stomach condition is remanded.,Service connection for headaches, including as secondary to PTSD, is remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a nexus to service.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied. Prior to May 9, 2019, the evidence did not support a rating greater than 10 percent. As of May 9, 2019, the evidence supported a 50 percent rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) as he did not submit a completed VA Form 21-8940, which is required to determine his unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The evidence does not support that the Veteran’s service-connected conditions render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral foot disability.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection and initial rating of hearing loss due to inadequate examination findings. The VA examiner is instructed to convert in-service audiometric results from ASA to ISO-ANSI units, consider the possibility of delayed-onset hearing loss, and provide a rationale for any opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of adequate medical opinion.

The appeal is dismissed as the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and right ear hearing loss have been denied as there is no current disability found in either ear.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD has been remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the pending nature of his other service-connected disability claims. The Board finds that his TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined with his other claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss has been denied as she does not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss for VA purposes.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, to include PTSD and persistent depressive disorder, is remanded due to inconsistencies in the medical evidence.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to have started during his military service and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent for the entire initial rating period. The claims of service connection for arthritis/bone loss, increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the death of the appellant.

The claims for service connection have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received to reopen them. The Veteran's conditions are not presumed due to exposure to herbicides or other specific in-service events.

The Veteran's service connection claims for tinnitus and hearing loss in the right ear have been denied.,The Veteran's service connection claim for hearing loss in the left ear has been remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.