Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the threshold schedular criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability, and his disabilities alone do not result in occupational impairment sufficient to warrant an extraschedular referral.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding new and material evidence. Bilateral hearing loss is now granted as related to service, while tinnitus is also granted as related to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to determine the current severity of HPV, the nature and etiology of asthma, and the relationship between irritable colon syndrome and service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied, but his claim for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, dizzy spells, a sleep disorder, a headache disorder, and depression due to potential secondary relationships. The claims are pending further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is denied as he does not have a current hearing loss disability in either ear for VA purposes.

The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need to adjudicate it again.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates with respect to his evaluation for tinnitus and hearing loss have been dismissed as a matter of law. The Board has also remanded several issues related to increased evaluations and earlier effective dates for various disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of residuals of left foot injury due to in-service knife wound.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service. The Veteran's claims were supported by medical opinions and his own testimony regarding noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected due to in-service noise exposure.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypertension secondary to diabetes mellitus are remanded for further development.,Service connection for anxiety disorder (including PTSD) is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD, lumbar spondylosis with radiculopathy of the right sciatic nerve, and bilateral hearing loss are all being remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability. The decision on service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection, but the service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his increased rating claim for right knee osteoarthritis, were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current disability for hearing loss or tinnitus meeting VA compensation criteria, and there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure causing these conditions. For right knee osteoarthritis, the Board granted a 10 percent rating effective from November 3, 2017, based on noncompensable limitation of motion due to arthritis.

The Board has remanded the claims for residuals of a broken right ankle, hypertension, GERD, and bipolar disorder due to outstanding VA and private medical records being needed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to April 6, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as incurred in service.,The Veteran's polycythemia vera, to include as due to exposure to ionizing radiation, is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and his claim for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is remanded for further examination.