Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's hearing loss developed after service, including from noise exposure in service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are inextricably intertwined, and thus remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, with the latter being secondary to his service-connected hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and right middle finger disability due to insufficient evidence regarding their service connection. The Veteran must provide additional medical records, including audiograms from his in-service period, and a VA examiner will be requested to provide an opinion on whether his current disabilities are related to his military service.

Service connection for a left shoulder disability, left arm disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and abdominal disability is denied as not related to service.,Service connection for GERD is denied as not related to service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted as both conditions are found to be related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not establish a nexus between the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and his hazardous noise exposure in service.,The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the competent evidence of record established its onset within one year of separation from service.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for a respiratory disorder and an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran will be provided with additional VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any respiratory disorder, as well as the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his initial and increased disability ratings for bilateral hearing loss, as well as the issue of entitlement to TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no unadjudicated formal or informal claims prior to June 19, 2017.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 due to lack of evidence showing continuous total disability rating prior to death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened.,Service connection has been granted for right ear hearing loss, but the claim for left ear hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a new examination and consideration of his testimony regarding recent difficulties with his hearing.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus and his military service.

Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and right knee chondromalacia has been granted.,Service connection for left knee chondromalacia has not been established.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The cases for bilateral hearing loss, stomach and gallstone disability, and peptic ulcer are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, specifically exposure to noise from small arms fire and armored vehicles during training exercises. The Board granted service connection for the condition.