Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death is not related to his service-connected disabilities, specifically residuals of skull fracture and traumatic encephalopathy. The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran’s death to these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but dismissed the claims for bilateral hearing loss, prostate cancer, low back disability, skin disability, left ear abnormal growth, heart disability, and stroke.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus did not have onset during military service or within one year of discharge from service, and are not shown to be related to his military service.,Service connection for a current disability requires evidence of a present disability; in-service incurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury; and a causal relationship between the present disability and the disease or injury incurred or aggravated during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a thyroid disorder and an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, as well as his TDIU claim, require further development due to incomplete evidence regarding his reported exposures.

The Board has remanded several of the Veteran's claims, including those for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, right and left shoulder DJD, and bilateral knee DJD. The ALS claim is also remanded as it was reopened on new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to confusion in the adjudications regarding the correct issue and rating calculation. The claims for a higher rating for left ear hearing loss and service connection for right ear hearing loss are being reconsidered.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) at any time during the appeals period.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection and a rating increase because he passed away during the appeal process.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to September 17, 2019, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter has been dismissed as the Veteran expressed satisfaction with the September 2019 rating decision.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ear disability manifested by otitis media and hearing loss, as well as tinnitus. The Veteran's current diagnoses of these conditions are believed to have been incurred during his active military service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The case is now remanded for a VA medical opinion on whether the pre-existing hearing loss was aggravated by in-service noise exposure.

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 acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete service treatment records and a need for further examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss as he did not meet the criteria for a current disability under VA regulations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened and granted.,Service connection is established for bilateral hearing loss, with the Board finding that it is at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for PTSD and service connection for bilateral hearing loss are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed for all issues related to tinnitus, hearing loss, diabetes mellitus type 2, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, PTSD, and IHD.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and active service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected. The conditions were found to be directly related to his military service.