Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 60 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted. The case is being remanded to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for TDIU due to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and right scoliosis of lumbar spine with degenerative arthritis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of noise exposure during service and that his current hearing loss is not related to in-service events.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and his claim for TDIU is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of in-service records confirming his reported noise exposure. The VA will attempt to locate these records, including service treatment records and military personnel records.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for ischemic heart disease, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The Board also requested an addendum opinion on the Veteran's audiologic examinations.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbar and cervical spine degenerative disc diseases, chronic headaches, sinusitis, right hip disability, traumatic brain injury residuals, auditory processing disorder, and psychiatric disabilities. The remand requires obtaining relevant medical records from Social Security Administration and the Okaloosa Vet Center.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran experienced ringing in his ears since active service. Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him for substantially gainful employment despite his service-connected hearing loss, tinnitus, and vestibular disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, and more contemporaneous medical findings are needed.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disorder was not incurred or aggravated by service, and the Board finds that there is no evidence of a current disability related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate examination reports. The claims will be reviewed again with new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed due to his death prior to a final decision. The issues of service connection for PTSD and an initial rating for right ear hearing loss are moot.

The Board has granted service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer due to herbicide exposure while serving at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, as well as erectile dysfunction, are also presumed to be related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral pes cavus, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, rendered him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was restored to a 50 percent evaluation effective February 1, 2015.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination in determining whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his military service, specifically the 1952 otitis media treatment.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of compliance with previous instructions and an incomplete examination report. The Veteran's hearing loss claim is now pending again for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in the VA examiner's opinion regarding the Veteran's left ear hearing loss. The Veteran will need an addendum opinion from a medical professional.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is dismissed. The claims for service connection for respiratory disorder, hearing loss, hypertension, sleep apnea, and loss of sense of smell are reopened.