Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and remanded the issue of a compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's right ring finger disability is not rated compensably, as it only causes painful motion.,The Veteran does not have a hearing loss disability in either ear.

The Veteran's PFB is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board has remanded for further examination to determine if a current disability exists.,Service connection for a bilateral eye disability cannot be granted due to lack of evidence linking the diagnosed conditions to service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss cannot be granted because there was no showing of chronicity within a presumptive period and no continuity of symptomatology since service.,Service connection for tinnitus as secondary to hearing loss is not granted, and direct service connection is also not granted due to lack of evidence linking the disability to service.,Service connection for a chest disability cannot be granted because there is no current diagnosis or evidence of symptoms related to the chest during the pendency of the claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of right hand disability, left hand disability, and tinnitus. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and military service.,The Board also denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, finding that his current level of hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for any higher rating.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and relationship of hearing loss and tinnitus to service. The Veteran's MOS as a construction electrician suggests exposure to noise, but his audiograms show fluctuations that do not meet VA criteria for hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran is asked to provide a clarifying opinion from a VA examiner.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The remaining claims of service connection for various conditions are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his military service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a chest rash, a right knee disorder, and hypertension as the evidence does not support a nexus to service.

The Veteran's claim for acne keloidalis nuchae, claimed as folliculitis of the face and back of scalp, has been reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted.,Service connection is granted for a skin condition on the face and scalp. Right ear hearing loss is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty about whether the Veteran currently has a hearing loss disability for VA purposes. A new examination is needed to determine this.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and sleep apnea, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain gainful employment for the period from November 20, 2014 to September 24, 2015. The Board has granted TDIU based on this evidence.

The Board has remanded two issues: the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for coronary artery disease and his claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The VA needs to obtain all relevant private treatment records, conduct new examinations by appropriate clinicians, and then reassess these claims.

The Board has granted an effective date of July 25, 2005 for the award of service connection for left wrist disability. The Veteran's original claim was denied in December 2005 and reopened in February 2016 based on a May 1960 service treatment record indicating a left wrist fracture during service.

The Board has denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and remanded the issues of hypertension (secondary to depressive disorder) and right ear hearing loss. The case is being returned for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and her claim for an increased rating for GERD was remanded. The decision does not address the issue of service connection via a presumption.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. The disability is attributable to post-service employment, specifically noise exposure from his civilian job.

The Veteran's lumbar strain is granted an increased rating of 40 percent effective February 18, 2014. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss remains at a 10 percent rating.

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

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service exposure.