Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is related to his military service and has been granted. However, the right ear hearing loss does not meet VA disability criteria.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy of the feet, and erectile dysfunction (ED) have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides in Thailand during his service but did not grant presumptive service connection based on this exposure as he served near the air base perimeter rather than directly at it.

The Board has granted service connection for insomnia and remanded the issues of service connection for OSA, bilateral hearing loss, and right leg varicose veins. The decision on OSA is denied.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for further examination and consideration of his employment history.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to December 2, 2014 for service connection of tinnitus, PTSD, and bilateral hearing loss as there was no completed formal or informal claim pending before that date.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete records and the need for VA examinations.

The Veteran's service connection for erectile dysfunction is granted, while left ear hearing loss and GERD are denied. The Veteran's PTSD and major depressive disorder warrant a rating in excess of 70 percent, asthma requires a rating in excess of 30 percent, and TDIU is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding VA treatment records and incomplete addendum opinions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for left knee disability and bilateral hearing loss were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not warrant a higher rating or an earlier effective date.

The Board has determined that a new medical opinion is needed to adjudicate the service connection claims for hearing loss and tinnitus, as the existing opinions are inadequate. The examiner must address the Veteran's lay statements regarding noise exposure in service and provide a rationale for any negative findings.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a link between current hearing loss and military service.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are needed to determine the current status of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and left hip disabilities, as well as their relationship to service. The claims for service connection will be remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar spinal stenosis was not incurred in or related to his service.,Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are likely due to acoustic trauma during service in Vietnam.,Tinnitus is less likely than not related to the Veteran’s service, as there were no threshold shifts noted.,The phantom pain from amputated left fingers may be aggravated by diabetes mellitus type II.,Peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity and left upper extremity are secondary to diabetes mellitus type II.,Peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity and left lower extremity are secondary to diabetes mellitus type II.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (major depressive disorder and polysubstance dependence) is not related to service, as he does not have a diagnosis of PTSD.,A rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus type II requires further examination.,Residuals of prostate cancer require an evaluation from February 1, 2018.

The Board granted service connection for left ear hearing loss due to in-service noise exposure, despite the VA examiner's initial opinion that there was no evidence of hearing impairment at separation.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was dismissed as he withdrew his claim. The appeals for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and breathing problems are remanded.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's lower back disability and found that his bilateral hearing loss warranted a non-compensable rating. The decision on the initial compensable rating claim is pending.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to the need for additional development, specifically obtaining medical records from the Richards-Gebaur Air Force Hospital.

The petition to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is granted. The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and the three secondary conditions (erectile dysfunction, mandibular exostosis, and bruxism) are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and failure to consider the Veteran's lay statements. The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss, which he claims was caused by in-service acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss has increased in severity since his last VA examination, and he is being asked to report for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his condition.