Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as an initial rating for left ear hearing loss, were denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of right ear hearing loss or tinnitus, and his left ear hearing loss was rated at 10%.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 20 percent, and his tinnitus is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent. The Veteran's CAD has been granted a 30 percent rating effective May 31, 2011, and a 60 percent rating effective April 4, 2012. His diabetes mellitus, type II, is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 20 percent for each affected extremity. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathies are all rated at the maximum schedular ratings. Effective dates have been granted for various conditions and disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. However, the claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his hearing loss does not meet the criteria set forth in 38 C.F.R. § 3.385.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether it is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's tinnitus, MDD with alcohol substance abuse, and right ear hearing loss have been granted service connection. However, the effective dates for these conditions are October 11, 2016.,The claims of service connection for tendinitis, left ear hearing loss, glaucoma, a thoracolumbar spine disability, COPD, hypertension, carpal tunnel syndrome, sleep apnea, and stomach ulcer remain pending. Further development is needed to determine the current status of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's hearing loss disability, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to a hand grenade blast injury in service.

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss, allergic rhinitis and sinusitis, and tinnitus. The Veteran's asthma, chronic bronchitis, and/or COPD are remanded to determine if they are related to asbestos exposure during active service.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as there were no issues on appeal. The Board found that the Veteran did not file a valid notice of disagreement for some of the issues and did not specify which foot he was referring to in his initial filings.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for Hepatitis B, bilateral eye disability (claimed as vision problems), and bilateral hearing loss due to in-service exposure. The VA is directed to obtain relevant medical records and schedule the Veteran with a VA examination to determine if he has current Hepatitis B infection, bilateral eye disability, and/or bilateral hearing loss that are related to his service.

The Veteran was denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability due to the absence of evidence showing a current disability. The Veteran's tinnitus claim was granted as it is presumed to have started during service.,Service connection for a bilateral knee disability is remanded, and an additional VA medical opinion is needed.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right shoulder disorder, cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, left ear hearing loss, headaches, PTSD, and depressive disorder. The decision also remanded the issue of service connection for left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus is being remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether he had a hearing loss disability in August 1972 under VA guidelines.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, and the Board denied an initial compensable evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability was denied as there was no evidence of an etiological link between the current condition and service.,Service connection for bilateral pes planus was granted based on aggravation during service, but not due to any in-service injury or disease.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection for cause of death and the etiology of his Parkinson's Disease.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, with a numeric designation of Level I in the right ear and Level II in the left ear. The Board denied the claim for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's tinnitus disability remains at a 10 percent rating, which is the maximum schedular rating available.,For the period from March 1, 2017 to May 18, 2017, and since September 1, 2017, the Veteran’s coronary artery bypass graft disability warrants a 60 percent rating. For the period prior to June 7, 2017, the Veteran's TDIU claim is granted.,The Veteran meets criteria for a schedular TDIU since June 2017 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, migraine headaches, and vertigo as there are outstanding treatment records that need to be obtained and addendum opinions are needed regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during active service and have continued since then.

The Veteran's death was not caused by or related to a service-connected disability. Service connection for the cause of death and DIC benefits were denied.