Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has ordered a new VA examination to determine the cause of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss, which is currently under review.

The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities has been reopened, with the grant of service connection for sleep apnea. The claims for gynecomastia, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, right ear hearing loss, hypogonadism (low testosterone), gastric ulcers, and back disorder are denied.

The Board has remanded the remaining issues on appeal due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and hepatitis C due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional information and evidence.,Service connection is being considered for various conditions, including a right ankle strain, bilateral hearing loss, obesity, syrinx of thoracolumbar spine, cervical spine disability (including syrinx), hypertension, and left arm numbness.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded them due to insufficient evidence regarding noise exposure during reserve service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not make him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and his TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded due to the failure of an audiometric test establishing a current disability. The Veteran will be given another opportunity for a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities are all granted as service connected. The Board found that these conditions were related to his military service or due to his service-connected diabetes.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for tinnitus was denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,A 30 percent initial rating, but no higher, was granted for PTSD. The appeal regarding bilateral hearing loss disability is still pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss. A new VA examination is required.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding the evidence in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hearing loss and an increased rating for residuals of fractured right index, long, ring and little fingers, to include arthritis was dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal request.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an anxiety disorder is granted.

The Board has determined that there is no current disability of hearing loss in the left ear for VA purposes at any time since separation from service. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss meets the criteria set forth in 38 C.F.R. § 3.385, but further verification of his Reserve training periods and noise exposure during such training are needed to properly adjudicate this claim.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on the issue of bilateral hearing loss has been withdrawn. The Board has remanded cases involving lumbar spine, left foot, right foot, tinnitus, hemorrhoids, and carpal tunnel syndrome of both wrists.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss did not render him unable to obtain or maintain a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and occupational experience for the period from February 20, 2013, to April 22, 2015.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible lay assertions of continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there was no evidence of a nexus between the current disabilities and active duty service.