Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, back disability, hypertension, and heart disability.,There was no evidence of a new or material condition that would warrant reopening the claims.

The Veteran's service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as service records are presumed destroyed. The claims for service connection are therefore remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant was denied as he does not meet the eligibility criteria due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the lack of recent VA treatment records and an updated application for part-time work.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss because it was not incurred in or related to active service. The evidence submitted since the denial did not provide a new and material basis to reopen the claim.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection, rating for hearing loss, and evaluation for anxiety disorder (claimed as PTSD) due to the appellant's death.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss may be related to service or his tinnitus disability, and a supplemental medical opinion is needed to clarify this relationship.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability was restored to a 50% rating, effective February 1, 2014. The initial PTSD claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a right knee disorder or right ear hearing loss, and therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to service or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been dismissed due to their death during the appeal process.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is currently rated as zero percent disabling, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss has been denied because there is no evidence of current hearing loss in this ear.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new evidence received since the final denial in December 1984. The case is now remanded for a VA examination and further development.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus and remanded the issues of rating for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo, and TDIU. Additional development is needed to determine if type 2 diabetes was present during the appeal period, assess the current severity of inner ear disability, and consider whether it would be more beneficial to rate the Veteran's service-connected disabilities under Diagnostic Code 6204.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to in-service acoustic noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and anxiety), sleep apnea, and pulmonary disorder due to outstanding records and need for further examination. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's hearing loss was not incurred during service, did not result from an in-service injury or event, and was not manifest to a compensable degree within a year from his separation from service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for hearing loss is denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as the evidence did not show these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active service.