Hearing loss decisions — 2020

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

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for the Veteran's right hip disability and left hip disability is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, and the Board dismissed it.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and prostate cancer, finding no evidence of in-service injury or exposure to herbicides that could support a grant of benefits.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss as there is no current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise that these conditions are related to the Veteran's military noise exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of an adequate rationale regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability had onset in service or is otherwise related to service. An addendum opinion is needed to address this issue.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria or showing a link to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional VA examinations to assess the current severity of his bilateral hearing loss disability, difficulty swallowing and cotton mouth, and left side neck scar. The appeals are currently pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic back disability and bilateral hearing loss disability due to issues with obtaining necessary medical examinations. The Veteran was unable to attend VA examinations because he is incarcerated, which prevented him from receiving an in-person examination or access to necessary diagnostic tools.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and has remanded the cases regarding rating increases for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities.

The Board has denied service connection for COPD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service-connected shrapnel wound of the left thigh, muscle group XV, should be rated at 10 percent effective July 21, 2014. The hearing loss claim is being remanded due to a lack of recent examination and need for further evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss as there is no current disability of right ear hearing loss for VA purposes and the record does not contain a recent diagnosis of disability prior to the filing of a claim.

The Board has remanded several claims for additional development, including those related to the Veteran's neck disorder, neuropathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities, hip disorder, sleep apnea, right knee surgical scar, traumatic arthritis of the right knee, bilateral hearing loss, lumbar strain with degenerative osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, foot disorders (pes planus, metatarsalgia, hammertoes, hallux valgus, plantar fasciitis, and degenerative joint disease), and psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and bilateral hearing loss due to potential issues with the evidence or need for further examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss is reopened, and the case is remanded to determine if her current hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral degenerative arthritis was granted with an effective date of March 18, 1988. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was reopened and the issue is currently pending.