Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, particularly PTSD, render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the criteria for TDIU are met as of March 3, 2015.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has decided to remand this case for further evaluation of his claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and low back disability have been denied as there is no current evidence of a hearing loss disability or tinnitus within the appeal period. The Board found that the June 2017 VA examination results did not show bilateral hearing loss for VA compensation purposes.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was also denied, with the Board finding that his reported tinnitus is at least as likely as not a symptom of his hearing loss and noting that there is no convincing evidence of significant acoustic trauma during active duty or periods of ACDUTRA/INACDUTRA.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for low back disability was denied, with the Board finding that the most probative evidence does not establish an etiological link between his current low back disability and a period of active duty service.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for hypertension and aneurysm, but denied reopening of the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as he is currently working part-time and his employment does not qualify as a sheltered work environment.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities, particularly his low back disability and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran is required to undergo further medical examinations to determine if any current disabilities are related to active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a current disability related to service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and remanded the issue of a rating in excess of 10 percent for left wrist strain.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds no basis to grant a higher rating based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's claims for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and right ankle disability were previously denied in a September 2004 rating decision. The Board has now reopened these claims due to new evidence received since the last denial. However, the claims are still pending as they have been remanded for further evaluation.

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

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the cause of death. The VA is required to obtain a new opinion from a nephrologist or other appropriate specialist.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following any substantially gainful occupation during the period on appeal, thus his TDIU claim based on an extraschedular basis is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus, but the claim for service connection of bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for skin cancer, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and cardiovascular disorder due to exposure to herbicides. The VA examiner is requested to provide an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the invalidity of test results from a previous VA examination.

The Board has denied service connection for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The denial of MRSA is due to the absence of a current diagnosis, while the grant of bilateral hearing loss is based on evidence showing noise exposure during service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and consideration due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the validity of audiometric test results and causation of hearing loss.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent effective September 22, 2015. His bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration under the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 (VAIMA).