Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is approximately balanced as to whether these conditions are related to in-service acoustic trauma.,Service connection was denied for dizziness due to a lack of evidence showing persistent or recurrent symptoms associated with service.

The Board has remanded three claims: PTSD, bilateral hearing loss disability, and right achilles disability. The Veteran contests the effective date of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on the merits of his claims for a back disability, PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus and left hand conditions are granted service connection, but his bilateral hearing loss and left ankle condition are denied. The initial rating for PTSD is also granted.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his auditory acuity did not meet the criteria for any higher evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, as well as his claim for a compensable rating for a left flank scar, have been denied. His claim for bilateral hearing loss has been remanded due to the VA's failure to obtain relevant service treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error and an inadequate VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus his claim for TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 90% effective November 23, 2018. Prior to this date, the rating remained noncompensable.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the current hearing loss and his military service.,Service connection for bilateral tinnitus was granted based on continuity of symptomatology since the Veteran returned from Vietnam.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 30 percent prior to October 24, 2018.,A 50% rating for bilateral hearing loss is granted from October 24, 2018 to June 18, 2019.,A 40% rating for bilateral hearing loss is granted as of June 19, 2019 onward.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no competent medical evidence showing current hearing loss disability according to VA standards.

The Veteran's applications to reopen previously denied claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a cervical spine disorder have been granted. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes of the lumbar spine remains pending.,Service connection has been established for bilateral hearing loss, a cervical spine disorder (secondary to service-connected lumbosacral strain), and lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes of the lumbar spine.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for left leg disability and bilateral hearing loss due to additional development being required.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing hearing loss was not aggravated by his active military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss was reopened due to new and material evidence. The rating for residuals of hemorrhoidectomy and fissurectomy has been increased from 30% to 60% effective November 12, 2018.,From September 19, 2014, to November 12, 2018, the Veteran's symptoms were characterized by occasional involuntary bowel movements necessitating wearing of a pad. From November 12, 2018, his symptoms have been characterized as extensive leakage and fairly frequent involuntary bowel movements.

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