Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claims of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, PTSD, and undiagnosed Gulf War illness. Service connection was granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety) but not for hypertension, stroke residuals, OSA, or headaches.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of service connection for hearing loss due to the Veteran's withdrawal of the appeal. The issues of higher ratings for right and left knee disabilities are remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and clarification, including service connection claims that are currently pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, claimed as a nervous condition, depression, and anxiety is dismissed. The issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected tinnitus has been withdrawn. The claim of service connection for a disability claimed as sleep and dream disturbance is reopened. The issues of entitlement to ratings in excess of 10 percent for service-connected right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and osteoarthritis, right ear hearing loss, and lumbar strain myositis, central herniated nucleus pulposus at L4/L5 are remanded. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is also remanded.

The Board has not jurisdiction over the issue of an earlier effective date for PTSD. The Veteran's PTSD alone, combined with hearing loss and tinnitus, renders him unable to secure or follow gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is caused by his service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to a compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss and entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss due to outdated evidence and lack of recent VA examination records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including right thumb disability, right thumb scarring, lumbar spine disability, upper respiratory disability (diminished lung capacity), sleep apnea disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The VA is directed to provide examinations and obtain medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for back, cervical spine, left wrist, right shin splints, and stress fracture of the right femur are being remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Additional examinations are needed to determine the nature and etiology of these disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected, while his thoracolumbar spine disorder is denied. The Veteran's foot fungus condition does not warrant an increased rating.

The Veteran's application to reopen his previously denied claim of service connection for hypertension is dismissed. His application to reopen his previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for left ear hearing loss is granted, and he is now service connected for left ear hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims for dependency and indemnity compensation based on a claim of entitlement to service connection for cause of death, as well as accrued benefits for special monthly compensation. Additional development is needed due to incomplete medical opinions and potential links between service-connected disabilities and the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's service-connected right little finger disability and bilateral hearing loss are not rated as compensable. The Board has remanded these issues for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his right ear hearing loss, right knee disability, bilateral flatfoot, and left ear hearing loss due to incomplete examinations and need for further medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened and will be remanded to determine if the condition is related to his military service.,The Veteran's claims for left hand arthritis (secondary to gout) and right hand arthritis (also secondary to gout) have also been reopened and will be remanded to clarify the nature of his conditions and their relationship to his in-service injuries.

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 in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active duty, and the current disability does not meet the requirements for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently manifested by hearing acuity no worse than level IV in the right ear and level II in the left ear. The Board finds that an initial compensable rating for this condition is not warranted.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss, service connection for left ear hearing loss and psoriasis as well as arrythmia are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran claims that his current hearing disability is related to service, specifically acoustic trauma during active duty.