Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including migraine headaches, bilateral hearing loss, and foot conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted entitlement to TDIU based on the combined effect of these disabilities.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims and a VA examination. The Veteran's claims of glaucoma, bilateral ankle disability, hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, heart disability, hypertension, back disability, degenerative arthritis of the left hip, and peripheral neuropathy are all pending.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of in-service records and an inability to determine if the appellant's current hearing loss is related to his active duty for training. The case will be returned to VA for further development, including obtaining National Guard service treatment records and scheduling an examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left ear hearing loss due to inadequate medical opinions and the need for additional VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is granted as the Board finds that he was exposed to acoustic trauma during active service and has experienced symptoms of bilateral hearing loss continuously since separation from service.

The Veteran's initial noncompensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to November 9, 2017 is denied.,A 40 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss from November 9, 2017 forward is granted.,Service connection for hypertension, including as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus and due to herbicide exposure, is remanded.,Service connection for systemic arthritis is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as he does not have a current disability for VA purposes.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to July 6, 2016 was denied because his combined rating is less than 70% and the disabilities do not meet the criteria for TDIU.

The Board has denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and increased rating for right ear hearing loss. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, initial PTSD rating, atrial fibrillation evaluation, and TDIU benefits due to incomplete records. The claims will be reviewed again after obtaining additional medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Hearing Loss due to a lack of in-service records and potential exposure during military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of consideration of an article cited by the Veteran's representative regarding noise damage and its long-term effects on aging ears.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during and since service. However, it denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence linking the condition to military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted.,Service connection has also been denied for right ankle and left ankle conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee disorders, finding that the Veteran's chronic bilateral knee pain results in functional impairment of earning capacity. Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of current disability meeting VA standards.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient nexus opinions regarding the Veteran's right ear hearing loss, which is presumed to be related to service exposure. The Veteran served as a cannoneer in Vietnam and was exposed to noise from 105mm Howitzers.

The Board has determined that an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for hearing loss is not warranted, and has remanded the case to schedule a VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for updated examinations. The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, hearing loss, and diabetes are being evaluated further.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to missing audiogram records and will consider all available VA audiology test results, including those from March 2017, when determining the appropriate disability rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hearing loss was dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of the claim.,Service connection for a sleep disorder, an ankle disorder, swelling of the joints and dizziness were denied as these conditions are not related to service or his service-connected feet disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for basal skin condition was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew her appeal prior to a decision.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted, with evidence showing that the Veteran's current hearing impairment is related to in-service noise exposure.