Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied. The Veteran is granted service connection for depression as secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and a noncompensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss as the Veteran's current hearing loss does not meet VA criteria for a disability.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there is insufficient medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, but dismissed the appeal of service connection for chest pain and a right eye condition. The bilateral knee condition is remanded for further examination.

Service connection is denied for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. Service connection is granted for ischemic heart disease (coronary artery disease) due to Agent Orange exposure, and bowel urgency as secondary to prostate cancer.,The Veteran's fatigue symptoms are being evaluated further.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was granted a 30% disability evaluation since March 28, 2018. The effective date for this grant is set to March 10, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hypertension, service connection for gout, bilateral hearing loss, and sleep apnea are being remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Board has denied service connection for TBI with migraine headaches, but has remanded the issue of bilateral hearing loss due to conflicting evidence regarding its cause.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, right leg disability, bilateral hearing loss, and respiratory disability (COPD), finding no current diagnosis of these conditions and insufficient evidence to link them to service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded due to inadequacies in the November 2013 VA examination report. The Board finds a new VA examination is necessary as it is unclear whether there was acoustic trauma or hazardous noise exposure during service.,The Veteran's claims for left and right lower extremity neuropathy are remanded due to inadequate consideration of his Agent Orange exposure claim. A VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of his neuropathy, including its relationship to service and herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's initial ratings for PTSD and depressive disorder are remanded as there may be additional relevant medical records that have not been obtained yet. The Board also notes that a TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined with the other claims.,The Veteran's entitlement to a TDIU is remanded due to the need for further development of his disability picture, including obtaining VA treatment records from November 2017 onwards.

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

The Veteran's tinnitus and PTSD were granted service connection, while his bilateral hearing loss and knee disability were denied. The left shoulder disability was restored to a 20% rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability, but denied his claim for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability has worsened since his last VA examination, and a new evaluation is needed to determine the current level of severity.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and VA treatment records. He will also be scheduled for new VA examinations to clarify his diagnoses of the claimed disabilities.