Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right shoulder disability, left wrist disability, and left elbow disability. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted while others were not.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone are of sufficient severity to produce unemployability from May 24, 2012. The Board has vacated the November 2018 remand and remanded the issues on appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss disability is related to in-service noise exposure and his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as the evidence did not show a link between these conditions and military service.

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

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his in-service noise exposure and there was no evidence of a compensable degree of hearing loss within one year after separation from service.,The Board also denied service connection for tinnitus, noting that the Veteran did not report any symptoms indicative of tinnitus during service and found his current assertions to be inconsistent with his prior statements.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a new VA examination to assess whether the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is linked to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are more likely than not related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD have been denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service or military noise exposure.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss was granted, with an effective date of December 19, 2017.,An initial 30 percent rating prior to December 19, 2017, for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and vertigo (including Ménière’s disease) due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran will be scheduled for VA examinations to determine if his vertigo is related to service or a pre-existing condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and military noise exposure. The Board concluded that the Veteran's hearing loss is more likely due to post-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated as level I, warranting a noncompensable rating. The Board denied the claim for an initial compensable rating.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issue of an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The appeals for bilateral hearing loss and residuals of a broken nose are dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims of bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, and a liver disorder due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran needs to be provided with VA examinations for each condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and cervical spine disability are being remanded for further examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, with an average hearing threshold level of 23.75 in the left ear and 32.5 in the right ear.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for service-connected PTSD was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show total occupational and social impairment, which is required for a 100 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 9411. A TDIU rating was granted effective April 29, 2015.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to incomplete STRs and the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his current conditions.