Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied, but her claim for tinnitus was reopened and granted.,The Veteran's psychiatric disorder (due to MST) is still pending and needs further review.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no evidence of a present diagnosis and no link to service, including noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to January 31, 2014, for the grants of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 31, 2013, for the grant of service connection for surgical scar is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 31, 2013, for the grant of service connection for ischemic heart disease (IHD) is denied.

The Veteran's initial noncompensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's skin disease is found to have started during service and is granted service connection.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted as it is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, stroke, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to incomplete medical opinions and potential exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran is requested to provide updated VA treatment records and undergo a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The issue of service connection for right ear hearing loss has been withdrawn. The appeal regarding the increased rating for left ear hearing loss disability is remanded.

Service connection granted for tinnitus. Service connection denied for right ear hearing loss, insomnia, left knee disability, right knee disability, acne, and neck disability.,The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any complaints or diagnoses related to the claimed disabilities except for a history of folliculitis (acne) during service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, and bilateral knee disabilities. The Veteran's left ankle disability was not addressed as it is a separate issue.,The Board found no current disability of the back, knees, or left ankle that could be linked to active duty service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss should be remanded due to an inadequate opinion from a previous VA examiner.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service connection due to in-service acoustic trauma.,Tinnitus has not been present during the period of the claim or approximate thereto.

Your appeal for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed because you did not file a Substantive Appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for a 20% disability rating for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left hip disorder, and right hip disorder due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder, left upper extremity radiculopathy and peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity radiculopathy and peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral hearing loss as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.,The Board also denied an evaluation in excess of 10 percent prior to January 4, 2011 for lumbar spine disability, a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to May 17, 2012 for lumbar spine disability, and a rating in excess of 40 percent since May 17, 2012 for lumbar spine disability.,The Board found that the Veteran did not have current diagnoses of cervical spine disorder, left upper extremity radiculopathy and peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity radiculopathy and peripheral neuropathy, or bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability was rated at 10% from March 12, 2010 to May 14, 2015. A higher 20% rating is granted for the period from May 15, 2015 to October 6, 2019. The Veteran's hearing loss disability remains rated at 60% since October 7, 2019.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss, and thus service connection for this condition is denied. The issues of service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, low back disability, and hypertension are remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss of the right ear, finding that it began during service and continues to the present.

The Veteran's claims for right shoulder disability, gastrointestinal disability (to include as due to exposure to contaminants at Camp Lejeune), bilateral knee disabilities, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have all been denied. The Board found insufficient evidence to support the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and onychomycosis have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any of these conditions.