Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to May 7, 2014 include ischemic heart disease, posttraumatic stress disorder, type II diabetes mellitus, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The Board has determined that referral to the VA’s Director of Compensation Services for extraschedular consideration is warranted.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), and bilateral hearing loss in March 2015, October 2015, and June 2007 respectively. The Veteran's application to reopen these claims is pending.,New evidence received since the last final denial does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating any of the service connection claims.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his in-service acoustic trauma exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for hearing loss in the right ear. The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his exposure to loud noise during service and he has continuous symptoms since separation from service. Hearing loss in the right ear was not shown at any time since separation from service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is considered service-connected as it began during his military service and has continued since.

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

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, which is related to service despite a lack of in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and Type 2 diabetes mellitus, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus and bilateral hearing loss disability, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded because there are no recent VA audiology examinations of record, and the Veteran contends that his true severity of bilateral hearing loss is not reflected in the current evaluations. The Board requests a new VA examination to reassess the severity of his hearing loss.

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 Board has determined that further examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for lower back disability and bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new evidence filed by the Veteran and incomplete records from his Army Reserve service.

The Board has determined that there are outstanding VA treatment records and a more contemporaneous examination is needed to evaluate the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and bilateral hearing loss due to additional development being necessary.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the claims of an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The Veteran's request for a VA examination was unsuccessful due to his residence in Mexico, but he had been authorized for audiological testing. The Board finds that the audiology report needs to be associated with the claims file.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded for further examination to determine if they are related to his military service, specifically exposure to loud noise from guns and rockets firing without protection.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient examination results, requiring a new VA audiological examination.