Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran requested to withdraw all issues on appeal, and the Board dismissed them due to lack of specific error in determination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his military service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher evaluation is not warranted. The Veteran also contends for TDIU based on service-connected disabilities, but the evidence does not meet the criteria for such an award under VA regulations.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right ankle disorders, as well as right hearing loss disorder due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development and readjudication due to incomplete service personnel records, SSA disability benefit records, and private medical records. The Veteran will be offered an additional hearing with a Decision Review Officer.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The case will be returned for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) and left ear hearing loss. The right ear hearing loss claim was not reopened.,There is no evidence of current psychiatric disorders or hearing loss in the Veteran's service records, and his diagnoses are not linked to military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, tonsil cancer, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to in-service exposure to herbicide agents. Additional evidence is needed from VA treatment records and a medical opinion on the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his noise exposure during military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a link between his in-service noise exposure and current hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates were denied. The initial compensable rating for hearing loss in the left ear was denied, as did the claim for an increased disability rating for major depressive disorder during a specific period. The issues of service connection for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity and surgical scars from left knee arthroscopic surgery had earlier effective dates.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 40 percent from August 30, 2011 until January 25, 2019. The TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's cause of death, hepatocellular carcinoma, was not service-connected as it did not manifest within the applicable presumptive period and continuity of symptomatology is not established. The Board found that his depression did not cause or substantially contribute to his alcohol abuse or hepatocellular carcinoma.

The Veteran's service-connected dysthymic disorder is granted at a 50% rating from May 28, 2014. The appeal period for the initial rating of dysthymic disorder began on December 15, 2010.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss but granted service connection for tinnitus. The decision on hearing loss is based on the absence of evidence linking it to service, while tinnitus was found to be related to service exposure.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his service connection claims for right hip disorder, COPD, hypertension, and bilateral hearing loss. The appeals are now remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand all issues on appeal due to the Veteran's request for withdrawal and unclear preferences regarding informal conferences. The RO is instructed to obtain VA treatment records from Little Rock VA Medical Center and update the Veteran’s VA treatment records.