Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as it remains unclear whether he currently has these conditions or if they are related to his service. Further examination is needed.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen any of the Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of a right leg condition, PFB, diabetes mellitus, or bilateral hearing loss. As such, these claims remain denied.

The Board denied service connection for left and right ankle disabilities, hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's claims were based on direct evidence of a current disability related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for an increased, compensable disability rating at any time during the appeal period.

The Veteran's PTSD, bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, left hand osteoarthritis, low back disability, left foot disability, right foot disability, left knee osteoarthritis, right knee disability, bilateral eye disability, stomach disability, benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), and headache disability are all granted as service-connected.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The issue of service connection for acute promyelocytic leukemia is remanded.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability was evaluated and found to be no worse than Level I in the right ear and Level II in the left ear, resulting in a 0 percent rating. The Board denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus. However, the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains pending and will be reconsidered after a new examination.

The Veteran is granted TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD, coronary artery disease, and bilateral hearing loss preventing him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.,The effective date for DEA benefits is set at May 6, 2014 due to the Veteran's permanent total service-connected disability.,The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder and alcohol abuse was rated at 70 percent prior to March 1, 2016. The claim for a higher rating remains pending.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was evaluated and found to warrant a noncompensable rating based on the audiometric test results provided. The Board denied his claim for an increased rating.

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

The Veteran's service connection claim for right ear hearing loss is denied as the pre-existing condition was not aggravated by his active service. For left ear hearing loss, a noncompensable rating is denied due to lack of aggravation during service and no exceptional pattern of impairment.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is found to be etiologically linked to his active service, and the appeal for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not show that he met the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's rating schedule.

The Board denied service connection for right and left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing hearing loss did not worsen during service and was more likely related to recurring middle ear infections.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a new VA examination and the need to obtain private treatment records related to the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder are granted service connection, while the initial increased disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, as there is relative equipoise of evidence supporting this conclusion. The decision grants service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for blurred vision, bilateral hearing loss, dizziness, inhalation injury, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, sleep apnea, GERD, status post excision benign skin mass on the right wrist with residual scar, headache disability, left cubital and carpal tunnel syndrome, right cubital and carpal tunnel syndrome, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and PTSD have all been dismissed due to withdrawal of appeals by the Veteran.,The Veteran's appeals for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left foot disability, and right foot disability are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and coronary artery disease have been granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, cataracts, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities are still pending.,An effective date earlier than May 21, 2013 has not been established for tinnitus.