Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for residuals, right knee injury and bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran must be afforded another VA examination on both issues.

The Veteran's reduction of his disability rating from 10% to noncompensable for bilateral hearing loss was improper, and the RO restored a 10% rating. The Veteran is denied entitlement to higher ratings for his bilateral hearing loss prior to April 18, 2019 and from April 18, 2019 forward.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and neurodermatitis due to outstanding service treatment records not yet associated with his case file.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his military service due to exposure to loud noise. The claims were reopened based on new evidence showing a current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for reopening of the previously denied claims of service connection for a left foot disability was granted. The claims for right hand, left hand, and sleep issues were not supported by evidence. The hearing loss and tinnitus evaluations remain at their current levels.

The Board has denied reopening of the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection of various conditions, including left elbow, middle finger, knee, hearing loss, tinnitus, pulmonary disability, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that further development is necessary to determine if a compensable rating should be assigned.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is not related to service and was noted on pre-induction examination prior to service.,There is no evidence of a current left shoulder or right shoulder disability, arthritis of the upper extremities, or left knee disability at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim. The Veteran's current disabilities are not linked to service.

The Board has decided that there may be relevant treatment records not included in the current evidence, and therefore remands the case to obtain these records.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, residuals of TBI, and neurological disorder and memory loss due to TBI. The Veteran did not meet the threshold requirement of having a current disability.

The Board denied the reopening of the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as no new and material evidence was submitted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not rated as compensable. The Board granted a 100% rating for his acquired psychiatric disability from July 7, 2012, but dismissed the claim for an earlier effective date due to mootness.

The Veteran's appeals for left elbow conditions are still pending and need to be remanded due to the passage of time since the last relevant VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not related to service, but his tinnitus is related.

The Board denied service connection for right ear sensorineural hearing loss and remanded the issue of increased rating for migraine headaches.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for additional examination and opinion regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability or tinnitus during service, and there is no evidence of continuous or recurrent symptoms since separation from service. The VA examiner concluded that the current hearing loss was not related to noise exposure in active service.,There is insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the current tinnitus and active service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as his service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to maintain any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss is reopened, and he is granted service connection. For the period prior to April 6, 2017, his TDIU is granted based on multiple service-connected disabilities. From April 6, 2017 onwards, the issue of TDIU is moot due to a combined schedular evaluation of 100 percent.