Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's right knee disability, diagnosed as right total knee replacement, is granted as secondary to service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to missing records from the Moncrief Army Medical Center. Additionally, an SOC is needed on issues of increased ratings for knee conditions, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and service connection for hammertoes, sleep apnea, toe fungus, sinusitis, rhinitis, hearing loss, tinnitus, fibromyalgia, cervical spine disability, left shoulder disability, left forearm disability, right shoulder disability, and right forearm disability.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and an opinion regarding whether the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, specifically his ACDUTRA period.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable since May 15, 2015. The VA audiological examinations showed that the Veteran had no worse than Level II hearing acuity in his right ear and no worse than Level IV hearing acuity in his left ear throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private hospital on October 29, 2015 were reimbursed because the treatment was necessary due to an emergency involving severe hand pain that prevented him from using his hand. The VA facilities were not feasibly available for immediate care.

Service connection is granted for type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy as secondary to type II diabetes mellitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. Service connection is denied for residuals of traumatic brain injury.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were granted service connection, but his peripheral neuropathy was remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there was no in-service onset or relationship to service. Service connection for tinnitus was granted based on a finding of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a chronic hearing disability during active duty. The VA examiner concluded that current hearing loss is not related to military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including skin disorders, hearing loss, bladder disorders, heart conditions, kidney diseases, and extremity impairments have been denied. The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's assertions of in-service exposure to toxic substances.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is service-connected, as it was caused by in-service noise exposure during his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that it does not warrant a higher rating as his symptoms have been stable throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for bilateral hearing loss and otitis media (right ear) have been denied. The Veteran's hearing loss has not met the criteria for a compensable evaluation prior to March 2, 2017 or since then. His right ear otitis media is noted as asymptomatic.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a skin disorder to include psoriasis and lichen simplex chronicus, lung disorder, gastrointestinal (GI) disorder other than irritable bowel syndrome, and TDIU. The decision also noted that the Veteran did not meet the VA requirements for hearing loss.

The Board has granted an initial disability rating of 50 percent for the Veteran's PTSD, effective October 3, 2018. The decision also denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination reports and further development is needed before a decision can be made on the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, depression, and a right-hand disability have been granted. The rating for the left thumb amputation has also been granted at 20 percent.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA regulations.

The Veteran's claims for asbestos, hysterectomy with infertility, and hearing loss have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence. The claim for service connection for hysterectomy is reopened.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected due to continuous symptoms since service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied because the evidence does not show a current disability, and there is no causal link to his in-service noise exposure.