Hearing loss decisions — 2019

The Veteran's initial disability rating for prostate cancer is granted at 100 percent. The issues of an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for PTSD, depression, and anxiety are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection due to incomplete records and further review is needed.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 10 percent since April 19, 2011. The Board finds that a new VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of his disability due to recent changes in his hearing acuity.

The Veteran's appeal for hearing loss disability ratings has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's gastrointestinal disability is secondary to his service-connected PTSD and granted service connection. However, the issue of bilateral hearing loss as secondary to service-connected tinnitus was remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's case was previously before the Board multiple times. The decision is that he does not have legal entitlement to Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill) education benefits in excess of the 70 percent level due to having less than 24 months of qualifying service for purposes of determining his percentage rate.

The Veteran's hearing loss has been evaluated at a 10 percent rating since the initial grant of service connection. The Board found that his current audiometric results do not warrant an increase in this rating.

The Veteran's hearing loss is currently rated as Level I in both ears, which corresponds to a noncompensable rating. The Board has determined that this level of hearing loss does not warrant any compensable rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has ordered a remand due to insufficient reasoning in the original decision and because the Veteran's service records need to be reviewed for combat exposure. A new VA examination is also needed.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations and incomplete military personnel records. The Veteran's hearing loss is being evaluated again, and a supplemental opinion will be needed regarding its relationship to service.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss prior to March 8, 2018 and as of March 8, 2018 was denied. The Board found that the criteria for a rating in excess of 0 percent were not met prior to March 8, 2018, and that the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent were not met as of March 8, 2018.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence, including a lack of review of recent VA treatment records and an outdated medical opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions had their onset during active military service. The Veteran's MOS was artillery gunner, which carries a high probability of hazardous noise exposure.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU from October 14, 2005 to June 23, 2016 on an extraschedular basis and since then on a schedular basis due to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and calcaneal spurs.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as these issues are inextricably intertwined with other claims. The VA will obtain all relevant medical records and provide the Veteran with a new examination to determine if his hearing loss and tinnitus are related to military service.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, sleep apnea, and bilateral knee disability have been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The claim for tinnitus has been granted.,The claims for bilateral hearing loss, right foot disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) are remanded as there is no clear or competent medical evidence establishing a link between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Veteran's appeal regarding increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss was dismissed as he withdrew his appeal prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss from December 20, 2016 is denied as his current disability rating meets the criteria for a 20 percent evaluation.