Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, left hip condition, right hip condition, left knee condition, and right knee condition due to incomplete or missing records.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and its relation to service. The Veteran was exposed to noise during his military service, but the VA examiner found no causal link.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, left knee meniscus tear post-surgery, psoriasis, and right eye keratitis due to conflicting medical evidence regarding his current hearing loss disability. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions based on in-service noise exposure, injury during service, or other potential causes.

The Board denied the appeal to restore a 10% rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the reduction from 10% to 0% was supported by the evidence and in accordance with VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the cases for obtaining private medical records and determining whether additional development is needed. The hearing loss and tinnitus issues are related to the TDIU claim.

The Board has denied service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and earlier effective dates have been dismissed due to the Veteran's request to withdraw all pending appeals.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypothyroidism is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his active duty service.,For the appeal period prior to March 17, 2015, the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent and remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's conditions were not related to his military service.

The Board denied initial compensable schedular ratings and extraschedular evaluations for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's hearing loss is correctly evaluated as noncompensably disabling.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and patellofemoral pain syndrome of the right knee are both granted service connection as they were incurred during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not cause his dental licenses to expire or impede his ability to reinstate them. The Board finds he has overcome any impairment of employment due to these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating, and therefore denied his claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted. The conditions of neuritis, right foot (claimed as arthritis), left-foot arthritis, tinea versicolor, PTSD, and bilateral hearing loss are all found to be related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for peptic ulcer disease, cataracts, arthritis, and bilateral hearing loss. The evidence did not meet the criteria for reopening any of these claims.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has worsened, and a new VA examination is needed to determine the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was rated at 70 percent effective May 2, 2019. The Board denied a higher rating for the period prior to July 28, 2015 and from July 28, 2015 to May 1, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted. The claim for a compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss from April 29, 2015 due to lack of audiogram and word recognition testing. The tinnitus issue is referred back to the AOJ.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates, increased ratings, and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional information and records.