Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service acoustic trauma. The claims were reopened due to new evidence received since the January 2011 rating decision.

The Board has determined that the VA examination was not wholly adequate and thus remanding for further development. The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected, but his bilateral hearing loss remains in dispute.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and evaluations to determine the nature and etiology of her hearing loss, eustachian tube dysfunction, dermatophytosis (toenail fungus), and other conditions.,The Veteran has been diagnosed with various conditions during or since service, including tinnitus, CFS, pericardial effusion, migraine headaches, hearing loss, eustachian tube dysfunction, and toenail fungus. The Board finds that additional evaluations are necessary to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened, and the appeal is granted. The claims of service connection for right knee disorder and low back disorder are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Veteran's appeal is REMANDED for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination. The issues of increased ratings for various conditions are also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for anemia is denied as there is no evidence of an in-service onset or chronic disability.,For the period prior to July 2, 2018, the Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss disability was not compensable. From July 2, 2018 onwards, a rating in excess of 10 percent is denied as there is no evidence of additional disability beyond what would be expected from normal progression.,The Veteran's left leg and right leg disorders are remanded for further evaluation due to secondary service connection issues.,Service connection for the left knee disorder and right knee disorder remains unresolved.

The Veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities, including fibromyalgia, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, and irritable bowel syndrome, exceed the threshold for 'good health' as defined by VA standards. Therefore, his application for S-DVI is denied.

The Veteran's notice of disagreement with the June 2010 rating decision denying service connection for a back disability was timely. The issue of entitlement to an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is remanded.

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 noise exposure.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as they are not eligible to be adjudicated due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions are inadequate for the claims of hearing loss, tinnitus, and respiratory disability. The Veteran's service connection claims will be remanded to allow for further development.

The Veteran's service connection claims for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Board will request additional medical opinions regarding the onset of these conditions during service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection due to missing STRs from both periods of active duty.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board finds that the issue of entitlement to a TDIU has been raised by the record and must be remanded for proper development.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to potential deficiencies in the previous VA examination. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, which are believed to be related to exposure during active duty.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for bilateral hearing loss, effective dates prior to July 9, 2012, for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and service connection for tinnitus. The remaining issues have been remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran, including an October 2018 private treatment record indicating a worsening of hearing loss. The Board also ordered a VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and determine if extraschedular consideration is warranted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and the need for additional examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, which is currently considered a direct service connection issue.