Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional development. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, depression, alcoholism, left knee condition, right knee condition, left hip condition, right hip condition, left ankle condition, and right ankle condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has found new and material evidence to reopen the claims for service connection of right upper extremity, left upper extremity, right lower extremity, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his in-service acoustic trauma and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service connection for left ear hearing loss is granted, as the evidence shows continuous symptoms since service and exposure to acoustic trauma during service.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus are service-connected.,Service connection is granted for right ear hearing loss, cold weather damage of the lower extremities, peripheral neuropathy, and muscle damage. Additional development is needed to determine if these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for various conditions, including low back disability, bilateral foot disability, left leg disability (with rod emplacement), tinnitus, and diabetes mellitus. The appeals were all denied as new and material evidence was not received to reopen these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a chronic sleep disorder, and migraines due to lack of evidence establishing their onset or relationship to service.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss as there was no persuasive evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability or a link to service. The Board found that the Veteran did not have right ear hearing loss, hypertension, vision condition (due to refractive error), psychiatric condition, cervical spine condition, left shoulder condition, or right shoulder condition during his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for left ear hearing loss, persistent otorrhea, and chronic serous otitis media due to a VA parotidectomy in 1987, as well as the claims for erectile dysfunction (ED) and voiding dysfunction due to VA surgeries in 1979, October 2009, and November 2009. The remand requires additional opinions from VA clinicians regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful occupation, as his sleep apnea, voiding dysfunction, tinnitus, and hearing loss do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining employment.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was granted service connection as it is considered a disability and he experienced symptoms since separation from service.

The Board has granted service connection for low back disability and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service. Service connection was denied for diabetes mellitus and diabetic neuropathy of the lower extremities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,An increased rating for PFB residuals (pseudofolliculitis barbae) is remanded, as new examination findings may be necessary given changes in VA rating criteria.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding no competent evidence linking his current condition to active service or any presumptive conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss resulted in no worse than Level I hearing impairment in each ear, resulting in a noncompensable rating.,The Veteran seeks service connection for various conditions including back disability (claimed as fibromyalgia), Gulf War Syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD). The Board finds that remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions and examinations.

The Veteran's hearing impairment is not worse than level II in either ear when considering pure tone threshold and speech recognition threshold, thus the criteria for a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss have not been met.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, traumatic brain injury, and a brain tumor. The evidence did not show any in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.,There was no medical evidence linking the current disabilities to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are caused by his active service, granting his claims for these conditions.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding his ability to work with all of his service-connected disabilities. The case will be referred to the Director, Compensation and Pension Service for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU rating.