Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims of anxiety disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus for further development by the RO.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for his bilateral eye corneal scars to include right eye traumatic cataract. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's sleep apnea, secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, is also granted as service-connected.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current hearing loss disability did not have its clinical onset during or as a result of service. The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's hearing loss is related to noise exposure in service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have not been found to meet the criteria for service connection as defined by VA regulations.,Service connection has been granted for tinnitus, but only if it is determined that the condition began during active duty or is related to such service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for GERD, bilateral hearing loss, sinus disability, back disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability due to a lack of medical opinion regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensably disabling, and his tinnitus is currently assigned a 10 percent rating. The Board found that the evidence did not warrant higher ratings for either condition.,There are no additional audiological evaluations showing entitlement to an initial compensable rating at any point during the appeal period.

The Board has denied service connection for allergies, a lumbar spine disability, cystic acne, and left ear hearing loss.,The Veteran's claims of service connection for a cervical spine disability are remanded due to inadequate VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a total disability evaluation based upon individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected, with the benefit of doubt given to these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than August 23, 2017 for the grant of service connection for left ear hearing loss and PTSD. The Board also denied the claim for service connection for hypertension due to service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, right foot degenerative changes, and PTSD have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support these claims.

The Board has granted effective dates of December 18, 2017 for the awards of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and right upper extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's claims were reopened on new evidence received after his initial claim in 2008.

The claims for service connection of hearing loss disability, tinnitus, left knee disability and right knee disability are granted. The claims for service connection of hearing loss disability, tinnitus, left knee disability and right knee disability are remanded due to the need for further medical examination.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claim for tinnitus is denied as the VA examiner found it less likely than not related to service.,The Veteran's claim for GERD is denied as the VA examiner found it less likely than not related to service.,The Veteran's claim for right shoulder disability is denied as the VA examiner found it less likely than not related to service.,The Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his chronic pulmonary condition with obstructive sleep apnea and restrictive and obstructive lung disease, major depressive disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss and degenerative joint disease of the right foot has been denied.,A remand is ordered to obtain a new examination for the Veteran's right foot condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine arthritis with stenosis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to inadequate examinations and reliance on lack of medical records.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as of January 25, 2010 and August 17, 2017. The highest assigned ratings were 30 percent in excess of the initial grant of service connection on January 25, 2010, and 50 percent for the period starting from August 17, 2017.