Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his acoustic trauma during military service. Service connection for this condition has been granted.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, and lumbar spine disability. The case is remanded for further development.,Service connection was not granted for hypertension due to the lack of a nexus opinion regarding herbicide exposure.

The Board is remanding two issues related to unauthorized medical expenses. The main issue is the pending service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and lumbar strain. The Board will address these claims after resolving the pending NOD.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus as being secondary to the Veteran's already service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims due to additional evidence being added to the record and requires AOJ review.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not due to an in-service injury, event, or disease. His tinnitus onset occurred during service after exposure to loud noises.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for effective dates earlier than July 23, 2015 for the grants of service connection for a left shoulder disorder, tinnitus, and right ear hearing loss. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder was reopened based on new and material evidence submitted in July 2015.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is rated at 20 percent effective June 1, 2018. Prior to that date, the disability was not compensable.

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

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to in-service acoustic trauma. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to active service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities, considered as one condition due to their common etiology, meet the percentage requirements for a TDIU. The Board found that the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether these conditions render the Veteran unemployable.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or chronic conditions that were noted during service, within a presumptive period, or with continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is determined to be related to his active service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal regarding an increased rating for his left knee disability has been dismissed. Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and remanded the issue of secondary service connection for back disability due to right knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to incomplete audiometric test results. The VA will request the necessary information from the private audiologists who conducted the examinations.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence linking the condition to service and concluding that a current disability is not related to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's hearing acuity was not shown to be worse than Level I in the right ear or Level II in the left ear, warranting a 0 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU rating, finding that his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings, service connection, and earlier effective dates for PTSD.