Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran, including medical literature suggesting a possible relationship between jet fuel exposure and hearing loss. The examiner is instructed to provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service, specifically to include military noise exposure in service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to obtain outstanding VA and private treatment records, as well as medical opinions regarding the onset and relationship of her claimed disabilities to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including internal hemorrhoids, erectile dysfunction, right leg disability, left leg disability, right ankle disability (claimed as Achilles), right knee disability, left knee disability, right elbow disability, bilateral hearing loss disability, and hypertension have been denied. The Board found no evidence of current diagnoses or etiologies related to these conditions that could be linked to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pre-existing right ear hearing loss was aggravated by service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for Meniere's disease and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Veteran's GERD is being remanded for a VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected condition.,The Veteran's chronic sinusitis is being remanded due to the need for a supplemental medical opinion considering in-service exposures and ongoing symptoms.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is being remanded as there may be an issue with verifying exposure to herbicide agents during service. The AOJ should verify whether the USS Coral Sea was within the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea of Vietnam while the Veteran was aboard.,The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is being remanded for a supplemental medical opinion considering his asserted in-service exposure to herbicide agents.,The Veteran's skin disability is being remanded for a supplemental medical opinion addressing whether it is related to bare-skin exposure to jet fuel during service.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and a mood disorder) is being remanded as there may be issues with verifying in-service stressors. The AOJ should attempt to corroborate the Veteran's reported stressors involving witnessing the death of a fellow serviceman aboard the USS Coral Sea during the '1967 cruise'.,The Veteran's sleep apnea, hypertension, hiatal hernia, and erectile dysfunction are being remanded as secondary to his claimed acquired psychiatric disorder. The AOJ should attempt to obtain VA treatment records from Portland VAMC for the period between 1970 and 2002.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for updated VA audiological examination records, which may provide evidence of a worsening disorder.,The Veteran's ear infection disability is being remanded as there may be issues with obtaining relevant private treatment records. The AOJ should attempt to obtain these records and complete any necessary requests.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are presumed to have been incurred in service due to continuous symptoms since separation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination by an ENT specialist.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection, including prostate cancer with erectile dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, left and right knee disorders, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), lumbar spine disorder, and bilateral hearing loss. The effective dates for the grants of service connection are not addressed in this decision.

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

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, and the Board denied his claim for an increased rating.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to October 5, 2018 was denied. The Veteran's increased disability rating claim from October 5, 2018 onwards was also denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as non-compensably disabling, and the Board denied a higher rating.,The Veteran was granted service connection for residuals of bladder cancer with frequent urination, but his claim for an increased rating remains pending. The effective date for this grant has not been established yet.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is considered to be related to his in-service noise exposure, and service connection for this condition has been granted.

The Board has found the VA Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) opinion inadequate, and has ordered a new examination to determine if the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hearing loss has been withdrawn, and the issue is dismissed without prejudice. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for various disabilities are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral recurrent tinnitus, finding that the current conditions did not begin in service or are otherwise related to noise exposure during active duty.

The claim for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus has been granted. The issue of service connection for burns on the right side of the face, neck injury, and vertigo is being remanded.,Service connection for tinnitus has been granted. However, further examination is needed to determine if service connection can be established for a neck injury and vertigo.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate examination and need for additional medical opinion regarding the relationship between hearing loss and tinnitus and service.