Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer, PTSD, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of recent medical records and to schedule the Veteran for a new examination to assess his current bilateral hearing loss condition.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, depressive disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, diabetes mellitus, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, are found to be severe enough to prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment. As a result, his claim for TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection of a bilateral hearing loss disability was denied as new and material evidence has not been received. His entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy is also denied. The issues of service connection for bilateral trigger fingers and migraine headaches are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus due to a request for a copy of his claims file and to attempt to obtain records of several hearing tests over the Veteran's lifetime.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for a current diagnosis of hypertension and to assess the severity of his bilateral hearing loss. The claims are being remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the inadequacy of the July 2016 VA examination report. The examiner did not consider the Veteran's reported noise exposure during service and his current tinnitus, which may be related to military noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of hearing loss due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed due to his death.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for a rating in excess of 50 percent for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU. The prostate cancer claim is remanded due to insufficient development, including verification of herbicide exposure and a VA medical opinion on the relationship between service-connected epididymitis and prostate cancer.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back condition and headache condition are not service-connected. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral otitis media, tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, and anxiety), tinea, verruca vulgaris with angiokeratoma, respiratory condition, and hypertension have been remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus need to be remanded due to incomplete medical records and the inability of the previous VA examination to provide a valid opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to conflicting audiometric results and a need for an adequate etiological opinion.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection for benign prostatic hyperplasia is granted, which removes this issue from consideration. The appeal regarding bilateral hearing loss remains pending and requires a new VA examination to address the etiology of the condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is a symptom of his service-connected left ear hearing loss, and thus grants service connection for tinnitus as secondary to the service-connected left ear hearing loss.

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

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hearing loss and tinnitus due to lack of VA examination in connection with his incarceration.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and hepatitis C prior to the specified dates were denied.