Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are at least as likely as not related to in-service exposure, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is granted with a 50% rating throughout the entire period on appeal. The initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss disability and service connection for sleep disorder are denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service. The Veteran's claim for TDIU has also been denied because he is not unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and granted service connection for right ear hearing loss. The case is remanded to obtain additional records, including the Veteran's complete service personnel records and any service mental health records, and to schedule a VA examination to determine if her current psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, hypothyroidism, ischemic heart disease, bilateral hearing loss, degenerative disc disease, tinnitus, and left-hand fracture, prevent him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal regarding service connection for various conditions has been remanded due to the need for additional evaluations and examinations. The denial of a higher rating for coronary artery disease from December 1, 2011 to October 12, 2015 remains unchanged.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, specifically his assertion that he could not hear for up to a day after working on the howitzer.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and its connection to service. Additional development is needed, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and an addendum opinion from a qualified examiner.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, scar of the right knee, and bilateral tinnitus due to discrepancies in the record.,Service connection was denied for a scar of the right knee as there is no evidence linking it to service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of VA treatment records from VAMC Long Beach. The Veteran is asked to provide information about any private treatment records related to his hearing issues.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure of the Veteran to report for a scheduled VA examination, and further development is needed.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence linking the current disability to service. The Veteran's STRs are silent on any complaints or treatment related to hearing loss, and there is no post-service medical record until August 2013.,The Board has remanded the issues of right foot and ankle disorder and left ankle fracture residuals for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 20 percent since May 6, 2013. The Board denied an increase in rating due to the absence of evidence showing a more severe condition.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is currently rated as level I, which does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,There is no current diagnosis of left ear hearing loss in the Veteran's records.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for dysthymic disorder with PTSD prior to February 19, 2019. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating as there was no occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for pulmonary fibrosis (asbestosis), and service connection for a respiratory disorder other than pulmonary fibrosis are all remanded due to inadequate examination reports and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient rationale in the VA examiner's opinion. The Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to noise during service, but his current hearing loss and tinnitus are attributed to post-service occupational noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient schedular criteria for a TDIU and requires consideration by the Director of Compensation Service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and secondary service connection for tinnitus. Bilateral hearing loss is found to be due to noise exposure in service, while tinnitus is linked to the service-connected hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on four different conditions have been dismissed due to his death.