Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and atrial fibrillation due to in-service exposure. The issues are intertwined with his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's TDIU is granted beginning February 23, 2018 due to his service-connected disabilities including right foot injury, osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, and sciatic nerve radiculopathy. His left ear hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete examination and lack of adequate rationale. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service, but more evidence is needed.

The Board denied a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's puretone thresholds were within normal limits and did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA regulations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left and right hip disabilities, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, and neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, have been denied. The Board found no current diagnoses or evidence linking these conditions to service.,There is no indication that any of the claimed conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the submission of new and material evidence indicating worsening hearing.

The Board has denied the reopening of claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that the evidence does not support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder. The Veteran's current conditions are considered to be directly related to his military service.,There is no evidence of any in-service injury or disease that would support the claim of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus was granted. The Board found that new evidence supported the reopening of his previously denied claims and established service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's hearing loss, left ear is granted service connection. The earlier effective date for lumbar spine disability claim is denied. A rating of 40 percent for Raynaud’s disease is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete service records and the need for a new opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for vision impairment, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran did not have a compensable eye disability related to his period of service. His hearing loss was not shown to be caused by noise exposure during service. Tinnitus is not linked to the Veteran's military service.,Service connection was denied for vision impairment, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened, but the Veteran's current conditions do not meet the criteria for service connection.,The claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II has been reopened. However, there is no evidence linking the condition to service or any other basis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as he has the educational and vocational background to perform substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his service. The claims will be returned for further development.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for a dental condition and increased ratings for migraine headaches. The appeal of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus was granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to assess the severity of his hearing loss and to determine if he has a current disability manifested by dizziness and imbalance. The VA will also conduct an examination to evaluate the nature and etiology of any PTSD and/or depression.,The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine if he has a current disability manifested by dizziness and imbalance, whether it is related to his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus, or other nonservice-connected disabilities. The VA will also conduct an examination to evaluate the nature and etiology of any PTSD.,The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine if he has a current disability manifested by PTSD and/or depression, whether it is related to his military service, and if so, whether it is secondary to his service-connected disabilities. The VA will also conduct an examination to evaluate the nature and etiology of any psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.,The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine if he has a current disability manifested by depression, whether it is related to his military service, or if so, whether it is secondary to his service-connected disabilities. The VA will also conduct an examination to evaluate the nature and etiology of any psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable prior to December 27, 2018 and as 20 percent since that date. The skin disability claim has been remanded for further development.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his death during the appeal process.