Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability needs to be re-evaluated due to possible worsening since his last VA examination in December 2013. A new VA audiological examination is required.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but has remanded the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal to increase his rating for bilateral hearing loss has been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of this issue.

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

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and there is no evidence of any service connection for the cause of death.,The appellant was awarded $300.00 in nonservice-connected burial benefits and $734.00 for a plot/interment allowance.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss should be remanded due to incomplete records and a need for an opinion regarding exposure during Reserve service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability or a link between the claimed conditions and service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current level of severity.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional examinations and opinions to determine the nature and etiology of his knee, foot, hip, and headache disabilities. The appeals are currently pending.

The Board has remanded the cases of left knee disorder, hearing loss, and sleep apnea for further examination and opinion to determine their etiology.

The claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding the Veteran's current disabilities, as well as his in-service exposures.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for testicular carcinoma and diabetes mellitus type II were dismissed. The Board also remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new and material evidence. However, a VA examination is needed to determine if he currently has a diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss.,Service connection for fibromyalgia is denied as there is no current diagnosis or established link between the condition and military service.,A VA examination is required to assess whether the Veteran has allergic rhinitis that may be related to his active duty service. The June 2015 VA opinion was based on a single bout of allergic rhinitis, which does not meet the criteria for chronic disability.,Service connection for sleep apnea is remanded as there are conflicting opinions regarding its relationship to military service. A new VA examination and medical opinion are needed to determine if the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his active duty service.,The claim for service connection for GERD secondary to IBS remains in dispute, with a June 2015 VA examiner concluding that there is no causal or aggravating relationship. A new VA examination and medical opinion are needed to resolve this issue.,Service connection for a headache disability is remanded as the Veteran claims his symptoms began during service but there is conflicting evidence regarding its onset and etiology.,The claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) remains in dispute. The June 2015 VA examiner found no link between CFS and military service, with a new examination and opinion needed to determine if the Veteran's symptoms are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for major depressive disorder, and the effective date prior to January 13, 2011, for service connection of major depressive disorder, have been dismissed. Appeals regarding CUE in January 2012 rating decisions granting service connection for various disabilities were also dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's right ankle fracture residuals are currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that an increased rating is not warranted prior to October 8, 2014 or in excess of 10 percent thereafter.,The Veteran's cold injury to the left foot is currently rated at 20 percent and the Board finds that an increased rating is not warranted as there are no symptoms such as tissue loss, nail abnormalities, color changes, locally impaired sensation, hyperhidrosis, or X-ray abnormalities (osteoporosis, subarticular punched out lesions, or osteoarthritis).,The Veteran's cold injury to the right foot is currently rated at 20 percent and the Board finds that an increased rating is not warranted as there are no symptoms such as tissue loss, nail abnormalities, color changes, locally impaired sensation, hyperhidrosis, or X-ray abnormalities (osteoporosis, subarticular punched out lesions, or osteoarthritis).,The earliest date of entitlement for service connection for PTSD is July 25, 2015.,The earliest date of entitlement for service connection for tinnitus is April 21, 2014.,The earliest date of entitlement for residuals of a left foot cold injury is April 21, 2014.,The earliest date of entitlement for residuals of a right foot cold injury is April 21, 2014.,The earliest date of entitlement for residuals of a right ankle fracture is October 1, 2008.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is granted. A separate rating of 10 percent, but not higher, is granted for vertigo as a residual of the left ear stapedectomy.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment, and thus denied his claim for a TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee osteoarthritis, as well as bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claims for these conditions are based on direct evidence of their onset during service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.