Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is service-connected, but has remanded for further examination regarding his head injury and residuals.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is rated at zero percent (non-compensable), as the audiometric test results do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Veteran's insomnia disorder is currently rated at 30% and granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service. The Veteran's lay statements regarding noise exposure during service have been considered, along with medical opinions from both VA and private sources.

The Board has granted service connection for asbestosis, tinnitus, and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's asbestosis is presumed to be related to in-service asbestos exposure. His tinnitus is presumed to have started during service. Bilateral hearing loss was not shown within one year of service and the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that it began or was caused by service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error in the April 2019 rating decision. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is being reviewed again for proper service connection.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is rated at 10 percent from April 6, 2017 to February 8, 2018. The decision was granted as the evidence is in equipoise on whether the left ear hearing loss meets Level XI hearing acuity based on puretone threshold average.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether his hearing loss began during military service due to acoustic trauma. The decision does not address any other conditions or issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of pseudofolliculitis barbae and the VA medical opinion did not provide adequate rationale regarding whether the Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are causally related to service.

The Veteran's hearing loss has been rated at 10 percent, and the Board found that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there is no evidence of a nexus between his current diagnoses and service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination for evaluating the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability. The Veteran will need a new VA audiology examination to determine the current severity of their service-connected condition.

The Veteran was granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus. The claims for LLE and RLE sciatica, left eye lens implant, and right knee disability were remanded.,Service connection was denied for LLE and RLE sciatica, left eye lens implant, and right knee disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hearing loss, degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, right toe fracture and sesamoiditis, and irritable bowel syndrome have been granted. The issue of entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left ankle disability, as there is insufficient evidence to determine if his preexisting condition worsened during service.

The Veteran's hearing loss and skin disorder are not service-connected as they pre-existed her military service.,The Veteran has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, but the evidence does not support a connection to her active duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and his active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss and a mouth injury resulting in loss of teeth due to insufficient evidence, including an inadequate VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The cases of low back disability and sleep apnea are remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded the issues of service connection for a low back condition, right foot/ankle condition, left foot/ankle condition, and chest/heart condition.