Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, back disability, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, right leg muscle disorder, and left leg muscle disorder due to incomplete records. The Veteran is also requested to undergo a VA examination to address his diagnoses and etiology of these disorders.

The Veteran's tinnitus, lower back condition, and left ear hearing loss are granted service connection. The right ear hearing loss case is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, lung disability, ischemic heart disease, skin cancer, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to exposure to dust and chemicals in service as a dental technician.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability has been denied as there is no evidence of current hearing loss that meets VA criteria.,Service connection for sleep deprivation was also denied due to lack of a diagnosed condition and functional impairment.

The Veteran's hearing loss condition has not been evaluated for a compensable rating since the last VA examination in February 2018. The Board is remanding the case to schedule another VA examination to assess the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the Veteran's claim of a respiratory condition, including as due to exposure to burn pits and chronic scarring lung disease. The specific nature of the Veteran's respiratory condition is unclear.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. For bilateral hearing loss, the Board found no causal relationship between active duty service and the disability. For tinnitus, the Board found a causal relationship to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and entitlement to a TDIU rating due to unresolved issues in the record, including the need for an advisory medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss disability.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the lack of substantial compliance with prior remand directives, specifically regarding an addendum medical opinion for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, anxiety disorder rating, and TDIU. The AOJ is instructed to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss and associated tinnitus from an appropriate examiner, schedule a new examination for the Veteran's anxiety disorder, and ensure that all outstanding records are obtained.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence showing the presence of bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes. The Veteran's claims for right hip disability, right ankle condition, bronchitis, skin disfigurement due to surgical scars, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including affective disorder, anxiety disorder, and alcohol use disorder) are remanded as there is insufficient evidence on file.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus on a presumptive basis due to noise exposure during service. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not support direct or presumptive service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and bilateral knee pain due to a lack of recent VA examination. The Veteran's claims are reopened, but further medical opinions are needed to determine if his current conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.,The Veteran's previously denied claims of service connection for lumbosacral spine disability, tinnitus, and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities were reopened. However, these claims remain denied as there is no evidence linking any current disabilities to active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence to support a finding of delayed onset noise-induced hearing loss and concluding that the preponderance of the evidence does not establish a nexus between the Veteran's current hearing loss and in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU at any time during the appeal period as his adverse symptomatology is both contemplated and considered by the rating criteria.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss and an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, finding no evidence of a current disability that began during service or is at least as likely related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the lack of sufficient VA audiological examination results and missing information from a private audiologist.