Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to noise exposure during active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to procedural errors, including a missing audiometric test from May 17, 2019. The Veteran's representative challenged the adequacy of the April 2018 VA examination and requested an updated opinion based on more recent studies.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder disability and bilateral hearing loss, finding no current disabilities meet VA criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss effective March 28, 2008, finding that the November 2008 rating decision denying this claim was based on incorrect application of the law and manifestly changed the outcome.

The Board has determined that the VA examiner's opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is inadequate and remands the case for a new examination to determine if the Veteran's hearing loss is at least as likely as not due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied service connection for squamous cell carcinoma, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and coronary artery disease. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,Service connection was denied as the medical evidence did not establish a link between the Veteran’s current conditions and his active duty service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but denied reopening of his claim for benign brain tumor. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability is productive of level II hearing acuity in the right ear and level II hearing acuity in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable rating. The Board finds no evidence to support a compensable rating.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is granted a 10% evaluation, effective February 1, 2019. The claim for an increased rating was denied before the effective date of this decision.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings were dismissed due to their death.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but remanded the claim of bilateral hearing loss due to lack of a medical nexus opinion based on in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and right and left knee conditions due to a lack of recent VA examinations, updated treatment records, and nexus opinions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypertension, but remanded the issues of service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, and scars of the lumbar spine.,The Veteran's claims for a right knee disability, left knee disability, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, and scars of the lumbar spine are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss and bilateral hearing loss has been reopened, and the Board finds that these conditions are secondary to his service-connected ulcerative colitis and sclerosing cholangitis. The preponderance of evidence supports this finding.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as they are likely related to acoustic trauma during service.,The Veteran's left shoulder, cervical spine, lumbar spine, and PTSD disorders are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Veteran is also seeking a higher rating for tinnitus, which the Board has remanded.,The Veteran’s service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are currently rated based on their severity as per VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disorder and bilateral hearing loss due to incomplete medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions based on in-service exposure, but VA treatment records do not provide sufficient information to determine if his current conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for his left ear hearing loss disability is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of the Veteran's complaints regarding the accuracy of previous examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus as there is no evidence of a current disability, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a causal relationship between in-service noise exposure and either condition.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability and right ear hearing loss. The decision on the issue of service connection for left ear hearing loss is pending.,Service connection was established for a left knee disability, with the Veteran's current diagnoses including left knee degenerative disease, left knee pain, and chondromalacia patella.