Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral pes planus render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for tinnitus, bilateral arthritis of the feet, and hearing loss due to inadequate examination findings and incomplete medical records.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted effective June 1, 2015. Prior to that date, the evidence does not show he was unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and completing an addendum opinion from a VA provider. The addendum should address whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to military service or caused by his service-connected disabilities, including obesity.

The Board has ordered a remand for the VA to provide an addendum medical advisory opinion regarding the likely etiology of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss, including whether it is related to his service exposure.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claim of service connection for PTSD is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's headaches are rated at 30 percent prior to January 25, 2014 and 50 percent thereafter. Effective June 10, 2010, the Veteran is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss disability is not related to service.,The Board also denied service connection for right ear hearing loss, concluding that there is no evidence of a current disability in this ear.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records from his National Guard and Army Reserve periods of service. The claims will be returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, bronchial asthma, and COPD due to incomplete medical records from the United States Marshal Service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient audiometric data and the need for a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 1, 2013. From May 1, 2013 to October 20, 2013 and from January 1, 2014 to January 9, 2014, the Veteran was granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The reduction in rating for bilateral hearing loss from 20% to noncompensable effective November 1, 2014 was upheld. The claim for service connection for COPD was denied as new and material evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's symptoms of reduced hearing acuity during and after service are related to his in-service noise exposure. The decision also grants service connection for tinnitus based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine and intervertebral disc syndrome was denied. The Board found that there is no evidence to support a finding that the current disabilities are related to service, resulting in denial.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise that these conditions had their onset during military service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss due to outstanding VA treatment records and a possible additional medical opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and low back disability for further development. The Veteran's claims will be reviewed again after additional examinations are conducted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss prior to July 23, 2020 and a rating higher than 40 percent thereafter. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his hearing impairment did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.