Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and sinusitis due to lack of evidence showing a current disability. The claims for hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the hearing loss claim. The sinusitis claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a lumbosacral spine disability, cervical spine disability, hearing loss of the left ear, hypertension, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity are being remanded due to incomplete information.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for tinnitus, PTSD, and hearing loss of the right ear are also being remanded.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, liver disability (including hepatitis C), right ankle disability, bilateral knee disability, and cervical spine disability, are remanded due to missing records and incomplete treatment information.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and left ear tinnitus are at least as likely as not caused by his military service, resolving all doubt in favor of the Veteran. As such, the claims for service connection for these conditions have been granted.

The reduction from a 20% rating to noncompensable for bilateral hearing loss disability was proper as the evidence showed improvement in the Veteran's ability to recognize speech.

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 Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disability in service or within a presumptive period, and that the Veteran did not have continuity of symptomatology. The Board also found that his lay opinion regarding noise exposure during service was not competent.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 29, 2016, for service connection of bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board has also remanded the issue of entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include a depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability as there is no evidence of a ratable disability by VA compensation standards.

The Veteran's service connection claims for tinnitus, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and bilateral hearing loss have been remanded due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.,Service connection will be considered if there is evidence that a condition began during active duty or within one year after separation from service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a link between current hearing loss and military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current hearing disability and military noise exposure. The Veteran had normal hearing at both entrance and separation from service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current hearing disability and military noise exposure. The Veteran had normal hearing at both entrance and separation from service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD were denied. For bilateral hearing loss, a compensable rating was not granted. For PTSD, an initial 50 percent rating was granted prior to July 6, 2010, but a higher rating than 30 percent from that date was denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The issue of service connection for tinnitus secondary to treatment for squamous cell carcinoma is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a respiratory disorder (COPD and emphysema), a skin disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to in-service herbicide-agent exposure.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were denied as the evidence did not support a nexus to service.