Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss but granted service connection for tinnitus. The respiratory disability issue is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to conflicting medical evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss should be remanded to obtain additional medical evidence and conduct an examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been granted service connection, but the disability rating assigned is noncompensable (0 percent). The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable disability rating based on the mechanical application of the audiological results to the rating criteria.

The Board has decided that service connection for tinnitus is granted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is at least as likely as not caused by or a result of in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating greater than 40 percent for lumbosacral strain. The Veteran did not meet the criteria for these claims based on his lack of current disability due to his claimed conditions, which were not related to active service.

The Veteran's left and right shoulder disabilities are granted as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.,His bilateral hearing loss is denied as not meeting the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a penile condition, initial rating in excess of 10 percent for coronary artery bypass graft, and initial rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, type II. The decision on these issues is pending.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee condition, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support its onset during active service or being related to an in-service injury.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated as noncompensable under Diagnostic Code 6100 due to his speech recognition scores and average pure tone thresholds.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a psychiatric disorder due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to October 9, 2015 for the grant of service connection for bilateral tinnitus and hearing loss were denied. The Board found that no earlier effective date could be granted due to lack of evidence of a claim before October 9, 2015.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss was remanded as the current evaluation does not reflect the severity of his condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The Veteran's PTSD, lumbar spine disability, left hip and right hip disabilities, left ankle and right ankle disabilities, respiratory disability, and fatigue are denied.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss and sleep apnea due to his withdrawal of these claims. The appeal for service connection for spinal stenosis is remanded.

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

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and his TDIU claim is denied.

The claims for service connection for a right cheek condition, respiratory condition, nerve damage to the chin, and residuals of wisdom teeth removal have been dismissed.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss has not been established.