Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted. The claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for right knee disability and TDIU have been remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is rated at a compensable level of 10 percent.

Service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss is granted.

Service connection granted for an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD.,Service connection granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to service-connected hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been clinically shown to be manifested by no worse than Level V hearing impairment, which warrants a 10 percent evaluation. The claim for an increased rating exceeding 10 percent is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his hearing impairment did not meet the criteria for any higher rating under VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has remanded several of his issues related to hearing loss, tinnitus, PTSD, bipolar disorder, headaches, sleep disability, and TBI.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened. Service connection is granted for left ear hearing loss, but the case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding right ear hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are causally related to military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's pre-existing hearing loss was aggravated by in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, and TDIU due to credible evidence of worsening symptoms since previous examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was evaluated and found to correspond to no greater than Level IV in the left ear and Level II in the right ear, resulting in a noncompensable rating. The claim for a compensable rating is denied as there are no exceptional patterns of hearing loss.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the service connection claims for various knee and ankle conditions, hearing loss, tinnitus, and sleep apnea. The appellant's military duties are believed to have contributed to her current disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 50 percent from June 3, 2017. The ratings for right and left side sciatica neuritis are denied as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable prior to September 21, 2019 and at a 10 percent rating from that date. The Veteran's PTSD symptoms are rated as 30 percent for the period prior to September 25, 2017; 50 percent for the period from September 25, 2017 to September 20, 2019; and 70 percent after that date.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a lung disability, bilateral eye disability, hypertension, diabetes, and initial compensable hearing loss rating due to potential new evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus, Type II and Parkinson’s disease due to the need for additional medical records and clarification of the audiologist's opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted. The Board found that the evidence established a link between the disabilities and in-service noise exposure, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as they were granted by a subsequent rating decision. The claim for an increased rating for residuals of larynx cancer with swallowing difficulty, hoarseness and dry mouth (rated as stricture of the esophagus) is remanded.