Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine disorder, cleat injury to the left side, and lumbar spine disorder are not service-connected.,Service connection for frostbite of the bilateral lower extremities is remanded.

The Veteran's request for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to his failure to report for an audiological examination. The Board finds good cause and the case is sent back for rescheduling.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, and the Board dismissed the case as a result.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a TDIU due to his current employment, despite his reported occupational impairments.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the lack of clarity in the private audiometry reports and the need to obtain missing VA audiology records.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss was evaluated as zero percent disabling during the period on appeal, and his claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus, hypertension, and diabetes were granted service connection on an accrued basis. Bilateral hearing loss, peripheral vascular disease (PVD), and COPD were denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including consideration of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no evidence of a current ratable disability, and thus, the appeal was dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss was rated at 90 percent prior to April 12, 2016. The Board found that the Veteran had Level XI hearing in the left ear and Level X hearing in the right ear, which equates to a 90 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the cases of entitlement to an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss and a TDIU prior to May 28, 2013 due to new evidence added since the last decision.

The Veteran's TBI is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied due to lack of current evidence meeting VA criteria.,Left great toe ulcer is not service-connected, as it did not develop from a service-connected condition and there was no good cause for non-attendance at the scheduled examination.,Increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities are denied due to lack of evidence showing worsening since last rating determination.,Increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities are denied due to lack of evidence showing worsening since last rating determination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and left knee disability due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran is required to undergo new VA examinations to determine if his conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded and will be addressed in a future decision.

Service connection for tinnitus has been granted.,An initial disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD is granted. The Veteran's hearing loss claim is remanded for further evaluation.

Service connection for tinnitus has been granted.,Service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and a psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression and anxiety) have not been established.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment.

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

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals, along with other service-connected conditions, have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation. A rating of 40 percent for prostate cancer residuals is granted, effective from August 15, 2016, and TDIU is also granted.

The Veteran's hypertension is not rated as compensable due to blood pressure readings consistently below the criteria for a compensable rating.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss was denied because there is no evidence of noise exposure during service and post-service noise exposure is considered significant.