Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, diabetes mellitus, type II, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities, right eye diabetic retinopathy, prostatitis with urethritis, bilateral hearing loss, tinea pedis with diabetic dermopathy, and tinea cruris has been granted. Effective dates have not yet been determined for these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for right ear hearing loss disability, and the Board dismissed the case as a result.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 40 percent for bilateral hearing loss and for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran needs to undergo a new VA examination to assess his current bilateral hearing loss condition, and he should complete and return VA Form 21-8940 to support his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and a TDIU is granted. The issue of a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss on an extraschedular basis is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, and a higher rating for tinnitus.,No new evidence was presented to reopen any previously denied claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that while he experienced acoustic trauma during service, there is no evidence showing a link between his current hearing loss disability and in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and skin condition due to insufficient VA opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's service records confirm in-service noise exposure and herbicide exposure, but the VA examiners did not adequately address these factors.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining a new VA examination for his right shoulder disorder and reviewing all relevant treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD has been reopened due to new evidence. His claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, eye condition (including as due to Camp Lejeune exposure), and acquired psychiatric disorder have all been remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to non-compliance with previous instructions, and hearing loss in the right ear is still under review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU due to inadequate examination records. The case is returned for further development, including scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The examiner did not consider all relevant lay evidence and must provide a new opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and a bilateral foot disability due to incomplete development of medical records and failure to contact the Veteran for VA examinations.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and COPD are all granted. The claim for COPD is remanded as the evidence does not establish a nexus between the current diagnosis of COPD and in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for right ear hearing loss is granted.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for left ear hearing loss is not reopened and denied.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for migraine headaches is not reopened and denied.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for OSA is denied.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral ankle condition is denied.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for myoclonic jerking is denied.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for a right shoulder disability is denied.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for gastrointestinal disorder is not reopened and denied.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU from June 26, 2019 is granted. The Board also remanded several issues including the rating of genu recurvatum and knee degenerative arthritis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no current evidence of a hearing loss disability for VA purposes and insufficient medical opinion to establish a nexus between tinnitus and service.

The Board dismissed the appeal for entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his claim. The remaining issues (bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right ankle disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder) are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to lack of informed decision-making on service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a heart disorder. The Veteran's in-service noise exposure is an issue.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss and tinnitus, have been granted. However, the issues of service connection for hypertension, skin disorder (including actinic keratosis and rosacea), diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded due to insufficient evidence or procedural errors.