Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are found to be related to in-service noise exposure, and the claim is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral cataracts and bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of a 80% evaluation for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board finds that no evidence prior to December 8, 2017, shows an increase in severity warranting such rating. The issues of service connection for actinic keratosis and squamous cell carcinoma (claimed as skin condition) and polymyalgia rheumatica are remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's initial claim for an initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss has been denied as his current service-connected right ear hearing loss is rated at Level II, which corresponds to a noncompensable rating.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The right knee and left knee disorders, as well as bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, are remanded for further examination.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD was also denied.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete or inadequate previous examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to September 26, 2012. The Board has remanded the case for referral to the Director, Compensation Service, for extraschedular consideration of a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Lyme disease is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability during the appeal period.,Service connection for Graves’ disease or thyroid disability is denied due to lack of in-service diagnosis and no evidence linking it to service.,The Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 0% since August 26, 2014. The claim for a higher rating is remanded as there is no new evidence of worsening since the last examination.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD remains December 5, 2013 due to lack of earlier entitlement.,Service connection for hypertension secondary to PTSD and tinnitus is remanded as a medical opinion is needed to determine if it began in service or is related to these conditions.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for type 2 diabetes is remanded as a medical opinion is needed to determine the nature of his condition.,Service connection for left lower extremity neuropathy secondary to type 2 diabetes is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion on the relationship between the conditions.,Service connection for right lower extremity neuropathy secondary to type 2 diabetes is also remanded for similar reasons.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination. The Veteran's claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss, lumbar spine disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disability to include PTSD are being reviewed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include back disability, left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, finding that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a nexus to service. The Board also noted that the Veteran did not meet the one-year presumptive period for hearing loss.

The Board has ordered a new examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss due to his in-service noise exposure. The claim is being remanded for further development and evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service records may be incomplete and requests for additional records are made. The issues of service connection for various disabilities remain under review.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or hearing loss complaints, and the current disability is not related to active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, and headaches has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The claims are granted in part as they have been reopened, but denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there was no evidence of a chronic disease in service or within the applicable presumptive period, and continuity of symptomatology since service. The VA examiner concluded that the current hearing loss is not related to noise trauma during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding a right hand disability. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus remain pending.