Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is granted as service-connected. The issues of service connection for testicular cancer and bilateral lower extremity disabilities are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is determined to be of service origin, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and lumbar spine disability, finding that there is no causal relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his in-service exposure to hazardous noise.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not manifested during his active duty service or within one year post-service and it is not shown to be etiologically related to his service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss from April 21, 2017 to July 29, 2019 was previously decided in June 2020. The Board dismissed the appeal as it was a duplicate of an already decided case.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss on a direct basis, finding that the Veteran's continuous symptoms since separation from service are presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for a back disability and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of November 20, 1997 for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted. The initial rating for bilateral hearing loss remains noncompensable.

The Veteran's VR&E benefits request is remanded due to the need for a new vocational rehabilitation evaluation considering his current service-connected disabilities and proposed career change. The AOJ must also obtain any outstanding VA treatment records and evidence of attempts at employment in criminal justice or related careers.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his military service. The Board also found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection due to noise exposure in service.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus.,The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are found to be related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether it is related to active service. The decision resolves all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss disability is at least in equipoise with his in-service noise exposure and continuity of symptoms since separation.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is being remanded due to the need to contact his private medical providers regarding the use of a specific word list during audiological testing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support such an increase.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD due to insufficient evidence in the record, specifically regarding audiometric testing and SSA disability records.

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is remanded due to inadequate VA opinions. The case will be readjudicated after obtaining additional evidence and a new opinion from an appropriate physician.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is denied, and the cardiac disability issue is remanded.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis since April 14, 2010 to January 17, 2011 due to his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.