Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied in an August 2010 rating decision. The Veteran did not appeal this decision or submit new and material evidence within one year of the decision.,New and material evidence was submitted since the August 2010 rating decision but it was found to be redundant and not related to any unestablished facts, thus not raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened, but service connection remains denied.,Service connection is denied for left shoulder arthritis and leg pain as these conditions are not related to active duty service or a service-connected disability.,Service connection for sleep apnea is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,Diabetes mellitus, type II, was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service. Service connection is also denied.,Headaches and PTSD are not etiologically related to the Veteran’s active duty service.,Service connection for depression has been granted with staged initial ratings from October 2, 2013.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that both conditions are attributable to active service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's application to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for narcolepsy, bilateral knee disability, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral wrist disability, depression, hypertension and abnormal heartbeat, left ear hearing loss, and migraine headaches.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and valvular heart disease manifested by a heart murmur due to insufficient opinions in previous examinations. The Veteran must be provided with new examinations to address the evidence submitted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from performing the physical and mental acts required for employment prior to March 18, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were granted, but the ratings assigned are 0% (no disability compensation). The effective date is not specified.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus due to lack of a current diagnosis. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence, specifically the lack of a VA examination since the Veteran's service treatment records were added to his file.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no link between his current hearing loss and service. The evidence did not establish a chronic disability in service or within one year after service, and the Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss is less likely than not related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has decided that the reduction of the evaluation for hearing loss from 10 percent to zero percent effective March 1, 2015, was improper and has remanded the case for further review.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, and the Board denied a higher rating based on the objective evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for a low back disability, right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep disability, headaches, an increased rating for a right ankle disability, and an earlier effective date for PTSD. The RO is instructed to issue supplemental statements of the case on these issues.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for right knee disability, higher initial ratings for tinnitus and irritable bowel syndrome, and earlier effective dates for service connection of these conditions. The issues related to left knee iliotibial band syndrome, hearing loss, and sleep apnea are still pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathies due to herbicide exposure, and PTSD. Additional development is needed, including obtaining updated medical records, verifying Vietnam-era service, and conducting examinations by appropriate clinicians.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claims for service connection for PTSD, hearing loss (left ear), and headaches were granted. The claim for service connection for PTSD was denied due to lack of a diagnosis conforming to DSM-5 criteria. The claim for service connection for hearing loss (left ear) was denied as there is no current disability. The claim for service connection for headaches was granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete information and procedural errors, including a lack of proper authorization for treatment at Promise Hospital. The VA will need to obtain additional records from Leesburg Hospital regarding transfer attempts and any relevant VA records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.