Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and consideration, including service connection claims for various conditions such as hearing loss, tinnitus, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, cellulitis, PTSD, and a fractured right mandible. The effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus remains April 3, 2013.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating for Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the right fifth finger is denied. The case is remanded for further examination to determine if current hearing loss meets the criteria for a disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.385.

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

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his abdominal scar, service connection for left ear hearing loss, and service connection for stomach disorder were all denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support granting any of these claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence regarding his claimed conditions and their relationship to service. The Veteran is required to provide additional medical opinions on the etiology of his diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD, mood disorder, anxiety disorder, and chronic depression, are granted. Service connection is denied for OCD, dissociative identity disorder, bipolar disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and coronary artery disease. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection. The initial evaluation for the lumbar spine disability is denied, as are evaluations in excess of 20 percent for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is at least a reasonable possibility of establishing service connection based on in-service noise exposure. The decision also grants reopening of the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for a higher evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for clarification of his private audiometry report.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome and gastrointestinal disability (including gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastroenteritis) are remanded due to the need for VA examinations and opinions under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome is remanded due to the need for VA examination and opinion under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches are remanded due to the need for VA examination and opinion under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for varicocele is remanded due to the need for VA examination and opinion under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for testicular cyst is remanded due to the need for VA examination and opinion under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.

The Board has granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, Parkinson's disease, hearing loss, and tinnitus due to herbicide exposure during active duty.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hamstring disability, left and right upper extremity numbness and tingling, skin disability (tinea versicolor/tinea corporis), and PTSD.,Service connection is not granted for the appellant's claimed conditions as there is no evidence of a current disability in any of these areas.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and asthma have been granted. The claim for a higher rating for tension headaches has been denied. The claims for evaluations greater than 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine and lumbar spine are remanded. Service connection for asthma is also remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is presumed to have occurred during service due to in-service noise exposure, and the Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's hearing loss during the period on appeal qualifies, at most, as level I in the right ear and as level II in the left ear. The criteria for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss are not met.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's appeals for further consideration of all evidence received since February 13, 2017. The issues include service connection for various disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been reopened and is now considered on the merits. The Board found that new evidence supports reopening the claim, but denied service connection due to lack of a verified stressor.,Service connection was denied for left wrist sprain as there was no evidence linking it to service.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as his hearing loss does not warrant such a rating.