Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, including exposure to acoustic trauma during active duty. As a result, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as service connected due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claims of low back pain, right hip condition, left hip condition, right knee condition, left knee condition, right ankle condition, left ankle condition, and acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD and depressive disorder).

The Veteran's hearing loss disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and a sensorineural hearing loss may not be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities for referral to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequacies in the previous VA audiological examination, specifically regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current hearing loss and his military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability may have been caused or aggravated by service, and therefore remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for left shoulder, left elbow, bilateral eye disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD). Additionally, the nonservice-connected pension benefits claim is also being remanded. The VA must obtain relevant treatment records and attempt to verify an in-service stressor.

The claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's lay statements regarding continuity of symptoms since discharge from service are also considered.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral knee disability and bilateral hearing loss.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further evaluation due to insufficient examination reports and a need to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss as there is no current disability recognized by VA standards.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is granted service connection, but his right ear hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a VA disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a proper medical examination and opinion.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss is denied.,Prior to February 1, 2016, the Veteran's TBI residuals are not manifested by any residuals of cognitive, emotional/behavioral, or physical impairment which were not already contemplated in separate ratings assigned for other conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to potential issues with service connection based on aggravation of a preexisting condition. The Veteran is requested to provide records from his civilian job in a bakery, and an addendum medical opinion is needed regarding whether his preexisting hearing loss disability increased in severity during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or a relationship to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and diabetes mellitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted TDIU based on this finding.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least in equipoise with respect to their onset during service.