Hearing loss decisions — 2020

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

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus due to ambiguity in the record regarding their onset. A medical opinion is needed to determine if they are related to active duty service, specifically combat noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hearing loss, and lower nerve pain radiculopathy due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's diagnosed bilateral hearing loss had its onset in service or is otherwise etiologically related to his active service. The decision does not address any rating assigned or effective date.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss were denied in July 2011, but the claim for left ear hearing loss was granted. The hypertension claim is currently pending due to a remand.,Service connection has been established for left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal was not timely completed, and his claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cardiovascular disorder (to include cardiomyopathy), hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include anxiety) due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset or relationship to his military service. The claim for residuals of a back injury is also being remanded.

The Veteran's hearing loss claim is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal of the issues related to bilateral calf and lower leg condition and haircut bumps on the back of the neck has been withdrawn.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, right hand middle and little finger condition, left hand index and middle finger condition, and right knee condition is denied.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to January 28, 2020 is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining private treatment records and providing a supplemental medical opinion regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea.

The Veteran has been found to be incapable of securing and maintaining gainful employment since January 22, 2016 due to his service-connected asthma.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction secondary to ischemic heart disease, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine strain, left lower extremity radiculopathy, bilateral hearing loss, and reactive airway disease with effective dates prior to January 30, 2017.,No effective date was assigned as the claims were previously denied in April 2005.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are due to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a permanent positive threshold shift in hearing acuity during his period of service and concluding that the current hearing loss disability is not related to hazardous noise exposure in service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the reliance on a study that is considered non-probative and contradictory. An addendum opinion from an examiner other than the previous ones is needed to address the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss, considering the constant shifting in his hearing acuity over 14 service audiograms, the January 1976 diagnosis of low frequency hearing loss, and the possibility of delayed-onset hearing loss.

The Veteran's SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(r)(1) is granted with an effective date of February 15, 2013.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in a 2005 IOM study regarding delayed-onset hearing loss. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is being reviewed again for possible service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but denied service connection for tinnitus. Bilateral hearing loss is considered a direct result of in-service noise exposure. Tinnitus was not found to be related to the Veteran's active service.