Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has granted retroactive effective dates of November 25, 2013 for the grant of service connection for prostate cancer, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and right foot burn scars.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss but denied right ear hearing loss. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service noise exposure as a helicopter repairer and his current hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and evaluation, including obtaining a VA examination for bilateral hearing loss and requesting that the Veteran complete forms related to his TDIU claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate development and lack of information on when the Veteran first experienced symptoms of hearing loss. A new etiology opinion is needed.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further medical inquiry into whether tinnitus is related to service aches/swelling and if it is secondary or aggravated by right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and the provision of all relevant records.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to insufficient opinions regarding the Veteran's headaches. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus remain denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating in excess of 10 percent prior to October 6, 2017, and in excess of 30 percent thereafter for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to incomplete VA treatment records and the need for a more contemporaneous examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions. The Veteran's reports of continuity of symptomatology are not credible, and his VA examination determined that his hearing loss and tinnitus were not caused by military noise exposure.

The Board has dismissed all appeals related to service connection claims due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence in the record. The Veteran's MOS as a Weather Observation Specialist exposed him to noise, but there is no direct evidence linking his current disabilities to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment throughout the appeal period, and his TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's service connection for a left ear hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and deviated septum has been restored. Service connection for PTSD, GERD, sleep apnea, hypertension, and coronary artery disease is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence and a need for further examination. The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and needs further examination.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that both conditions are likely related to his exposure to hazardous noise levels during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied in October 2008. The effective date of the grant of service connection is set at February 17, 2017.

The Board denied a compensable initial rating for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, finding that his disability is currently rated as noncompensable under the applicable rating criteria.