Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a ruptured left eardrum, and aortic stenosis and mitral insufficiency. The claim for hypertension due to herbicide exposure is remanded.,Service connection for hypertension due to herbicide exposure is remanded as there is at least an indication that the Veteran's hypertension may be associated with his in-service herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher evaluation of his service-connected bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was denied. The appeal for service connection for tinnitus is dismissed as the issue has already been resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to a duty to assist error in the prior VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss disability and right ear disability other than tinnitus and hearing loss, finding no current disability due to in-service noise exposure or injury.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for right ear hearing loss was denied. The appeal for increased ratings for left knee subluxation and limitation of extension was granted with a 10% rating, effective from August 19, 2019.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, heart disability, and tinnitus. The hearing loss claim is remanded due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to consider service department records that may indicate presumptive exposure to herbicides during service. The hypertension claim will be readjudicated based on whether the Veteran served within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam and if his disability is directly caused by such exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate examination reports and incomplete medical opinions. The Veteran's noise exposure is being investigated, and a new VA opinion will be obtained.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection, but his left ear hearing loss is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to service and concluding that the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the condition began during service or is otherwise related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is rated as noncompensable, with the right ear also having a noncompensable rating due to its own hearing loss. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increased rating for either ear.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran contends his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure, but VA medical opinions have found no evidence of such.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus, tinnitus, left knee pain, right knee pain, heart disorder (ischemic heart disease), bilateral hearing loss, and back disorder are all granted. The claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder is remanded.

The Board has denied the claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability and no causal relationship to service. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes, skin condition, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, IBS, left shoulder pain, right shoulder pain, left knee pain, right knee pain, left hand pain, left arm pain, lower back pain, and bilateral toe conditions have all been denied. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for an upper respiratory disorder, diastolic heart failure (claimed as heart condition), and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

The Board denied the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as new and relevant evidence was not submitted, and the Veteran did not perfect his appeals.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable (0 percent disabling) based on his audiometry results, and thus denied his claim for a compensable rating.