Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, macular scars, rheumatoid arthritis, osteopenia, and a bilateral knee condition due to insufficient evidence of current disabilities. The Veteran's claims were remanded for further examination on the issue of service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for Ichthyosis vulgaris is granted.,Service connection for hypertension is not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's appeals to reopen claims for left knee disability and hearing loss were denied. The Board also found that the Veteran's pes planus claim requires a remand due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for hearing loss, chronic otitis media, and tinnitus as they are related to active duty service. Further development is needed to obtain etiological opinions regarding these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The case is REMANDED for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling the Veteran for an examination to determine the nature and etiology of her migraine headaches.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD. The Veteran's current diagnoses of these conditions are related to his in-service experiences.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and unclear medical evidence regarding the Veteran's hearing loss. The Veteran needs further examination and opinion on whether his current hearing loss is related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is service connected. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and throat condition are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted as the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding whether his current disability is related to noise exposure during service.

The appeal for service connection for right ear hearing loss is dismissed. Service connection for weight gain and obstructive sleep apnea are denied, but a higher initial rating of 30 percent for hyperhidrosis is granted with an effective date prior to May 1, 2017.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his hearing impairment did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.,Service connection for migraine headaches was also denied, with the Board finding that there is no evidence of an increase in severity during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and an extraschedular rating for tinnitus were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a hearing loss disability during active service or within one year of separation, and her current hearing loss is unrelated to service. For tinnitus, the Board noted that the 10 percent evaluation already accounts for its disruptive nature.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral ear hearing loss and remanded the issues of service connection for a bilateral ear condition (claimed as tympanic membrane perforations) and for a compensable rating for a service-connected left wrist disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence in the record. The Veteran is required to provide additional medical evidence to substantiate his claims.

The Board has determined that the current state of development in the record does not fully inform the decision on the Veteran's appeal, and thus a remand is necessary to obtain additional information from the Veteran and to schedule a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss is granted. The appeal is denied for the period prior to October 16, 2017.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is denied as he does not have a current hearing loss disability in either ear for VA purposes.,Service connection for prostate cancer is denied because the evidence does not support a finding that it had its onset during or within one year after service, and there is no medical evidence linking it to service.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, is denied as the evidence does not establish a nexus between the disability and service. The earliest diagnosis was more than 30 years after separation from service.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbar strain with levoscoliosis and degenerative joint disease is denied because his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the General Rating Formula.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss is denied as his hearing loss has not warranted a compensable rating at any time during the pendency of this appeal.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The issue of service connection for right atrophic kidney with mid ureteral stricture is referred to the AOJ due to its inextricability from the hearing loss claim.