Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate medical opinions and missing VA treatment records.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been withdrawn. The Board has also remanded the claims of right ear hearing loss disability and fatigue associated with MS.,The Veteran is currently rated at 20 percent for MS, but a higher rating of 30 percent is warranted from May 1, 2014.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for coronary artery disease (CAD) has been denied as his condition does not meet the criteria for an increased disability rating.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was previously granted, but the Veteran is seeking a higher initial disability rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including asthma, bilateral posterior subcapsular cataracts, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, are preventing him from obtaining or maintaining substantial gainful employment. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and conduct a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a condition of the lower back, to include degenerative arthritis, and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left ear hearing loss. The Veteran contends that his hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure, but the VA examiner did not review all relevant in-service hearing examinations and did not address whether the Veteran's current hearing loss could be attributed to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but has remanded the case for a new examination to determine the appropriate rating for costochondritis.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, right and left foot scars, low back disability, neck disability, coronary artery disease, skin disability, osteomyelitis, and PTSD due to incomplete records from the Veteran's National Guard service. The Veteran needs to provide specific documented confirmation of the unavailability of the missing records.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is granted a 40% rating, and the hearing loss issue is remanded for further evaluation. The TDIU determination is also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his right Achilles tendon injury, diabetes mellitus, fatigue, bilateral hearing loss, heart disorder (tachycardia), post-traumatic migraine headaches, sleep apnea, and vasovagal near-syncope, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to in-service noise exposure, and he is granted service connection for this condition. The hearing loss rating remains remanded as the Veteran asserts an increase in severity since his last VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to noise exposure during active military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, diabetes mellitus with diabetic retinopathy, left hip condition, left wrist condition, and ingrown toenails.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss. The cases of bilateral knee disability and right ear hearing loss are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, right and left ankle disabilities, right and left hip disabilities, shin splints, bilateral hearing loss, and TMJ, have been denied. The case is remanded to obtain relevant records and provide the Veteran with a VA examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and low back disorder are granted service connection, while the claim for a bilateral eye disorder is denied.

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

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issues of service connection for left shoulder injury with muscle weakness and right shoulder injury with muscle weakness due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran needs a new audiologic examination, preferably by a different examiner, to determine if his current conditions are related to service.