Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right-ear hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a disease or injury incurred in service and no chronicity of symptomatology. The Board also noted that the Veteran did not have sensorineural hearing loss to a compensable degree within one year of separation from active service.

The Board has decided to remand the claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss due to additional development being required. The Veteran's testimony regarding noise exposure in service and post-service activities is not credible, and his assertions are considered more credible based on medical research provided by him.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including tension headaches and multiple shoulder injuries, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and failure to consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service noise exposure. A new examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's hearing loss is related to service.

The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is reopened, and the case is remanded to determine if the Veteran's current hearing loss disability is related to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for a left ear hearing loss disability due to an insufficient medical opinion regarding its etiology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a respiratory condition, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to further development being necessary.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the addition of VA records since the March 2018 SOC. The Veteran has not responded within the required time frame, and an SOC must be issued.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are related to noise exposure in service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, ischemic heart disease, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are being remanded due to additional development needed.,Specifically, the Board will conduct further evidentiary development on these issues.

The Veteran's claim to reopen the PTSD service connection is denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and sleep apnea, secondary to depressive disorder, is denied.,Service connection for hypertension, secondary to depressive disorder, is denied.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's hearing loss is secondary to his service-connected tinnitus, but needs further clarification from a medical opinion.

The Board has dismissed all claims for service connection due to the Appellant's withdrawal of her appeals.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between his current conditions and military service.

The Veteran's representative withdrew the appeal for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, thus these issues are dismissed.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the Veteran's rating for bilateral hearing loss from 70% to 10% was proper, effective June 1, 2010. The appeal for a higher rating is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no current diagnosis of hearing loss for VA purposes.

The Veteran's claim for left knee disorder has been reopened and granted. The claim for tinnitus is also granted, but the claim for bilateral hearing loss remains denied.,The Board found new and material evidence to reopen the left knee disorder claim, granting service connection for tinnitus, and remanding the claims for right knee rating and left knee secondary service connection.