Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and low back disability have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran had in-service noise exposure which may be related to his current hearing loss, and credible lay testimony supported a finding of service connection for both hearing loss and tinnitus. However, there was no evidence linking the low back disability to service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss disability was denied. His claims for a higher rating on lumbar spine disability, non-specific upper extremity paresthesias secondary to lumbar spine disability, and bladder condition secondary to lumbar spine disability were also denied.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities, right ear hearing loss, and sleep disorder. The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70% effective July 11, 2013.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and trench foot due to insufficient evidence in the current record. The Veteran's hearing was found to be abnormal during service but not yet considered hearing loss, while his trench foot is linked to time spent in the field on training exercises.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to additional development being needed, including a new VA examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to service and the claim for service connection has been granted.

The VA is required to recoup the Veteran's special separation benefits (SSB) from his VA disability compensation, as mandated by law. The SSB was $39,853.44 and after taxes, the net amount was $31,882.76. The Veteran has service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus which are separately rated 10% disabling since February 4, 2016. The VA is required to recoup the SSB from his disability compensation.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected. The respiratory condition, lumbar spine condition, right leg condition, heart disease, erectile dysfunction, and headaches are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to inextricably intertwined issues, including service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The TDIU claim will be reconsidered after this issue is resolved.

The claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability is granted, with a rating of 20 percent.,Service connection for essential hypertriglyceridemia is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for tinnitus was dismissed. The Veteran's PTSD is now rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of his August 2018 hearing. His claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, but denied service connection for PTSD. The Veteran's claim of PTSD was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for right-ear hearing loss and left-ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing conditions were aggravated during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were previously denied in June 2014. The effective date of the grant of service connection is August 3, 2016, when the Veteran filed a claim to reopen his previously denied claim.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded them due to insufficient evidence in support of these claims.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected due to exposure to acoustic trauma during service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient service records and a need for further examination. The appellant's hearing loss is being evaluated to determine if it is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left-hand disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been denied as there is no evidence of current diagnoses or a causal relationship to his active duty service.