Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a clinician to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding various disabilities, including ratings for knee and elbow conditions, pes planus, hearing loss, and scars. The Veteran requested withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including rating reductions and earlier effective dates. The specific claims include right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, chronic thoracolumbar spine strain, cervical spine strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, major depressive disorder, right ankle posttraumatic degenerative changes, left hand scar, right hip degenerative joint disease, ear nerve damage, left wrist flexor tendinitis, right wrist flexor tendinitis, tinnitus, left knee condition, bilateral hearing loss, sleep disorder, arthritis of the wrists and hands associated with service-connected carpel tunnel syndrome, type II diabetes mellitus. The Board has not reached a decision on these claims at this time.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus has been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulation, but granted service connection for tinnitus.,Service connection was also remanded for claims of lumbar disorder (chronic lower back strain) and residuals of a left hamstring tear.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for service-connected left ear hearing loss was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than May 5, 2014, for the grant of a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and sensory polyneuropathy, bilateral lower extremities, are all granted. The Board found that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to active service, with particular emphasis on noise exposure and herbicide exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than August 16, 2016, for the grants of service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, and radiculopathy of the lower left extremity were denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD was denied.,The Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied.,The Veteran's claim for a 20 percent rating for radiculopathy of the lower left extremity was granted, subject to further review.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU was granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss because no new and material evidence was submitted, despite the Veteran indicating he needed new hearing aids.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee injury, right knee injury, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right shoulder condition and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, adjustment disorder, anxiety, and depression) due to insufficient evidence in the current record.,Service connection is not granted as there are no medical opinions linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for left ear hearing loss, back disability, and gastrointestinal disability have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for various conditions, including back condition, sinus condition, hearing loss, tinnitus, coronary artery disease, Parkinson's disease with right upper extremity weakness, and PTSD. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for tinnitus and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression is remanded due to the receipt of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on multiple service-connected conditions have been remanded, with some issues requiring further review and consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.