Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's cause of death (COPD and congestive heart failure) is not considered to be related to his service, but the Board has ordered a remand for further examination and opinion regarding whether any of his service-connected disabilities contributed to his death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and COPD with bronchitis due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran must be provided new VA examinations based on a review of his medical records.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a right elbow disability, finding no current disabilities or evidence of in-service incurrence. The claims for left hip and right hip disabilities were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection was denied for tinnitus, with an effective date set at August 21, 2015.

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

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for sleep disturbances and chronic fatigue syndrome have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left shoulder disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, neck disorder, bilateral wrist disorder, and an increased rating for lumbar spine disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability during or within one year after his military service.

The Board dismissed the appeals for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and hepatitis C as they are no longer relevant due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, traumatic right eye glaucoma, left ankle sprain, right ankle sprain, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left foot sprain, and right foot sprain are being remanded due to the need for further development.,Service connection for prostate cancer is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for a respiratory disorder were denied. The Board found no evidence of in-service asbestos exposure or other causation, and the medical evidence did not support a nexus between the claimed conditions and active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions. The issues of hearing loss, tinnitus, traumatic arthritis of the left knee, partial loss and use of lower extremity, low back pain, right knee pain and stiffness associated with traumatic osteoarthritis of the left knee, anxiety disorder, a pain disorder, and major depressive disorder are being remanded for further development. The denial of service connection for PTSD remains unchanged.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and his in-service noise exposure. The examiner is required to address any threshold shifts in hearing acuity between the Veteran's entrance and separation examinations.

The Veteran's hypertension, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, hepatitis C with cirrhosis of the liver, gastroesophageal disability (including GERD and Barrett's esophagus), heart disability other than CAD (paroxysmal atrial fibrillation), and erectile dysfunction are all granted. However, due to insufficient evidence, several issues related to these conditions have been remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and right foot and toes disability due to lack of a fully-informed decision.

The Board has remanded the claims of bilateral hearing loss, head injury (including TBI), gastric ulcers, and headaches for further development due to delays in scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left knee disability, low back disorder, bilateral hearing loss disorder, tinnitus, PTSD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to their complexity or need for additional development.

The Board has denied service connection for right knee, left hand, and right hand conditions. The claims for a right ankle condition and plantar fasciitis are pending, while hearing loss and tinnitus have not been established.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to inadequate reasoning in previous decisions. The case is also remanded for further development related to SSA disability benefits records.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal seeking higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss, and the Board dismissed the case as a result.

The Board has denied a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating than noncompensable.

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, left ankle disability, and bilateral shoulder disabilities. The claims for headaches, tonsillitis, strep throat, periodontal disease (pyorrhea), and sleep apnea are being remanded.,Service connection is not granted for the Veteran's claimed conditions due to lack of evidence linking them to service or any other relevant factor.