Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has dismissed all issues of service connection as the Veteran died during the appeal process.

The Veteran's right and left ankle disabilities, as well as her bilateral hearing loss disability are granted service connection. The psychiatric disability is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at a 10% disability rating effective January 26, 2016. Prior to this date, the condition was not service-connected.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise on whether these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is related to service, specifically in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining clarification of a February 2014 audiological examination report and determining whether a compensable disability rating is warranted for bilateral hearing loss prior to March 10, 2008. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability, specifically his in-service exposure to acoustic trauma from artillery duties.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for another VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions were not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of right ear hearing loss, pericarditis, or left ear hearing loss. The claims for these conditions are denied as there is no evidence of a present disability. The claim for service connection for tinnitus and ankle disabilities remains pending due to remand.

The Board denied service connection for a chronic low back disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision found that the Veteran's current low back condition was not incurred in service due to lack of evidence supporting a nexus between his current DDD diagnosis and an in-service injury. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were granted based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's germ cell cancer in remission is granted. The claims for sensory neuropathy, hypercholesterolemia, high blood pressure, hearing loss, tinnitus and Raynaud’s phenomenon are remanded due to lack of current diagnoses. The claim for PTSD is also remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issue of service connection for a lumbar spine disability secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is at least as much evidence to support these conditions being related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected, with the effective date being determined by VA policy.

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 Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his audiometric testing did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has ordered additional development to address the Veteran's claims for hearing loss and tinnitus, specifically focusing on whether his current conditions are related to in-service noise exposure without the use of hearing protection.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to obtain or sustain substantially gainful employment prior to July 3, 2014.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and new/changed basis claims have been denied. His bilateral hearing loss is not compensably rated, his acquired psychiatric disorder claim has no current evidence of service connection, and his right shoulder, left shoulder, headaches, and respiratory condition claims are all denied.