Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss in the left ear and bilateral tinnitus. The right ear hearing loss claim is remanded.,Service connection was established for hearing loss in the left ear due to exposure to jet engine noise during active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are currently rated as 80 percent disabling, but do not meet the schedular requirements for TDIU. The Board finds that there is plausible evidence to suggest that the Veteran is unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's right knee disability is granted service connection.,The effective date for the grant of radiculopathy in the bilateral lower extremities is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hearing loss, kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU claim based on these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for a supplemental VA examination and opinion regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to uncertainty in the audiometric data from service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Veteran's PTSD is now rated at 70 percent, effective May 29, 2009, with the condition of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the previously denied claims of service connection for a low back disorder, high blood pressure, bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is granted. The claims are remanded for further development regarding these issues.

The Board has determined that the appellant's ACDUTRA service qualifies him for basic eligibility to VA benefits, and his claims for service connection are referred to the AOJ.

The Veteran's Meniere’s syndrome, bilateral hearing loss, and recurrent tinnitus are all found to be related to his military service.

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

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,Human T-lymphotrophic virus is remanded for further examination as the claim lacks a diagnosis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability related to his service. The claim for mood disorder was reopened due to new evidence showing the onset of mental health issues during service.,Service connection for hypertension, skin cancer, and mood disorders were all denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral hearing loss disability, low back disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received. The effective date for the grant of tinnitus service connection is March 23, 2016.

The Veteran was unable to maintain substantially gainful employment as a result of his service-connected disabilities for the period prior to September 16, 2015. The Board found that the combined effect of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities is of sufficient severity to have rendered him unable to obtain and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are granted as service connected, with the Board finding that they were caused by in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's peptic ulcer disease is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied as his current level of disability does not meet the criteria for any higher evaluation.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was granted a compensable rating prior to November 7, 2018 and a 20 percent rating since then. The right knee disability is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 30 percent for Meniere’s disease with hearing loss and vertigo is denied. The case is remanded due to the need for additional development regarding a TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU prior to April 16, 2012. For the period from April 16, 2012 to July 31, 2018 (excluding the period of temporary total evaluation), he was found unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his PTSD and other service-connected conditions. From August 1, 2018 onwards, a TDIU is denied as the Veteran already has a 100% rating for PTSD.