Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of previously submitted VA audiology examination charts.

The Board has withdrawn the Veteran's appeals for a compensable rating for chloracne and for service connection for a right shoulder disability. The claims of entitlement to service connection for low back, right knee, and bilateral hearing loss have been reopened due to new and material evidence being received.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss has been reopened and granted. The case is remanded for further examination to determine the current severity of his left knee disability, and for an examination to verify in-service stressors and assess any acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.,Service connection for myositis of the left upper extremity is denied due to lack of a diagnosis and no link to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, as he is capable of performing sedentary employment despite some physical limitations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating, as his hearing acuity is at levels I and II in both ears.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed as the Veteran's representative withdrew all issues on appeal in a September 2020 correspondence.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% prior to June 27, 2017. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran does not meet the criteria for TDIU as his service-connected disabilities do not combine to result in a combined rating of 70% or more.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea and acquired psychiatric disorders. The initial hearing loss evaluation remains denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent effective May 14, 2013. The Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss was initially rated as 0 percent and increased to 20 percent effective October 27, 2016.

The Board denied claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, as well as nonservice-connected death pension benefits. The decision found that the Veteran did not have a current disability or evidence of a causal relationship to his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current hearing loss disability is related to in-service acoustic trauma and resolving reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, gout, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, prostate disorder, thyroid disorder, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and unspecified arthritis are being remanded due to additional evidence received since the August 2019 statement of the case. The AOJ will review this new evidence in its entirety before readjudicating the claims.

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss due to lack of a current diagnosis. The Veteran's flat feet are remanded as the VA examiner did not adequately address whether they were aggravated by service.,The Board has denied entitlement to a compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's flat feet are remanded as the VA examiner did not provide an opinion on their etiology.,The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for flat feet, right knee condition (secondary to service-connected left knee condition), back condition, and right shoulder condition. The right middle finger laceration residual claim is also remanded.,The VA examiner was asked to determine if the Veteran's right knee condition is secondary to his service-connected left knee condition. The examiner must provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that any currently diagnosed back, right shoulder and right shoulder scar disabilities are related to in-service injuries.,The VA examiner was asked to determine if the Veteran's right middle finger laceration residual is related to an in-service injury, event or disease. The examiner must provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that any currently diagnosed back, right shoulder and right shoulder scar disabilities are related to in-service injuries.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the audiometric testing did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence demonstrating the existence of a present disability at any time during the appeal period.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and a respiratory condition including asthma are remanded as there is insufficient medical opinion addressing secondary service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for sleep apnea has been withdrawn. The Board granted the Veteran's TDIU claim for the period of March 17, 2014 to October 1, 2018 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, gastrointestinal disorder (including GERD), and headache disorder. The evidence did not support a finding of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds no evidence to warrant a higher rating.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete examination and opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to noise exposure during service.