Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been remanded due to the need for further evaluation of certain issues. The effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus remains January 15, 2016.

The Veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records. The issues of service connection for various conditions are pending.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no competent evidence showing the conditions are etiologically related to service.

The Board has remanded several issues including service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD. The claims are also remanded for additional examinations to determine the current severity of hallux valgus and GERD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation throughout the appeal period, and his TDIU claim is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD is now rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of claim (September 8, 2010).,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to service-connected hearing loss are granted.,Secondary service connection for tinnitus is also granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability and that the pre-service normal hearing did not meet VA criteria for a disability. The opinion from the VA audiologist concluded that the Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension are all granted service connection as they had their onset during his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection, and his bilateral hearing loss claim has been reopened. The case is remanded for a VA examination to determine the etiology of his hearing loss.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for diverticulitis was denied. The application to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for headaches was granted. The application to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss was granted.,Since November 19, 2018, a 30 percent rating, but no higher, for bilateral eye disorder is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disorder and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence in the record, including a lack of audiometric testing during service.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for lumbar degenerative joint disease, bilateral hearing loss, and left ear hearing loss due to new evidence received. The claims are granted as they relate to current disabilities that may be related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was granted effective March 1, 2016. The decision also grants an earlier effective date of March 1, 2015 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim will be further developed with a VA examination, while the tinnitus claim is deferred until the ongoing development on the hearing loss claim is completed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss disability, finding that it is not related to his active military service and attributing it to a benign acoustic neuroma in his right ear.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and a rating in excess of 40 percent for residuals prostate cancer was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability or prostate cancer, and his symptoms were not severe enough to warrant a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence being added to the file, and a new opinion is required regarding whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss may be related to his active service or noise exposure during periods of inactive duty for training.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher evaluation of onychomycosis for the right foot great toenail and left third fingernail was dismissed.,An initial compensable rating (10%) has been granted for the fracture of the right third metacarpal. The issue of service connection for hearing loss is being remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for chronic otitis media, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss due to incomplete development. The AOJ is required to obtain all relevant VA treatment records from December 2014 up to the Veteran's death in June 2018, as well as any private medical records provided by the appellant.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened and is now being reviewed on the merits. The Board finds new evidence received since the May 2012 denial relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.