Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of tinnitus had its onset during active service. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was not reopened due to lack of evidence meeting VA compensation criteria.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, lung disability, heart disability, hypertension, gastrointestinal disability, and prostate cancer, are remanded due to the need for further verification of in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted it. However, the claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea was denied.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for cervical strain due to new and material evidence. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is related to military noise exposure. All reasonable doubt has been resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has denied service connection for osteoarthritis of the left and right knees, as well as hearing loss in the left ear and tinnitus. The Veteran's claims for these conditions are all granted.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were granted, with the Board finding that these conditions began during his military service.

The petition to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is granted. The case is remanded for further examination and rating of left ear hearing loss disability.

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

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives and inextricably intertwined issues.

Your previous service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted, and there is no remaining issue to appeal regarding your right ear hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and potential missing service records. The Veteran's representative argues that the June 2016 VA contract examination report is insufficient, as it did not adequately explain why in-service noise exposure could not have caused a gradual hearing loss over years after service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is rated as noncompensable (zero percent) due to the average puretone threshold of 58 decibels, which corresponds to a V designation under Table VI. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted. The claim for service connection for hemorrhoids is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating prior to December 10, 2013 and a rating in excess of 10 percent thereafter for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not warrant such ratings based on the mechanical application of the rating schedule.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that his preexisting condition was aggravated by in-service noise exposure and not rebutted by clear and unmistakable evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus has been reopened, but the case is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset of his hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorder, right knee condition, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.