Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The appeal to reopen a claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted. The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss may be related to his acknowledged noise exposure in service, but the evidence does not establish this with certainty.

The Board denied service connection for vertigo, finding that the evidence did not support a relationship between the condition and the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The TDIU claim was also denied as there is no evidence showing the Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine the cause of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and whether it is related to service. The case will be remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to new evidence received since the last decision. The issues of service connection for a skin disability and bilateral hearing loss are being reviewed again.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss in both ears and an initial compensable rating for sensorineural hearing loss in the left ear.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple conditions has been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and its relation to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disorder and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a chronic disability during or within one year after service. The VA examiners concluded that any current hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and lung disorder, including as due to in-service asbestos exposure, are being remanded for additional development.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against granting the Veteran’s claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, to include anxiety disorder and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran does not have a current disability related to active service.

The Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection have been reopened. The Board has ordered additional examinations and remanded the remaining issues due to lack of medical evidence or opinion.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claim. The March 2012 VA examination established that the Veteran had hearing loss, but did not provide a link between his military noise exposure and his current condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active duty service and acoustic trauma during periods of ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension has been reopened and granted.,Service connection is established for tinnitus due to in-service noise exposure.,Service connection is remanded for a left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, back disability, bilateral hearing loss, respiratory condition (asthma), gastrointestinal disability (GERD, hiatal hernia, and Barrett’s disease), prostate disability, and skin disability (chloracne).,The Veteran's service-connected PTSD may be related to his hypertension.,The Veteran's current prostate disability is remanded for a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, IHD, diabetes mellitus, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and scar, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted the TDIU based on the evidence showing his unemployability due to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and his current bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The VA will need to obtain all relevant medical records, including those from the Tampa VA Healthcare System, and provide the Veteran with a new examination if deemed necessary.

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss disability, left ear hearing loss disability, and tinnitus. The Veteran's current hearing loss disabilities are not related to his military service.,TDIU claim is remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the issues being remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his in-service noise exposure and granted service connection for this condition.