Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded three issues: 1) service connection for a left shoulder disability, 2) an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for service-connected narcolepsy, and 3) an initial compensable evaluation for service-connected eczema. The hearing testimony indicated that the Veteran's conditions have worsened since the last evaluations.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service. The decision is based on credible statements of the onset of symptoms during service and medical opinions linking these conditions to noise exposure in service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of current hearing loss disability. The Veteran's tinnitus, however, was found to be related to his combat service and granted.,Service connection for tinnitus has been established due to the Veteran's reports of noise exposure during active duty and the presumption under 38 U.S.C. § 1154(b).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral chondromalacia patella with arthroscopic knee surgeries, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, right salpingectomy/oophorectomy, total hysterectomy, right ovarian wedge resection, hearing loss, tinnitus, proctalgia fugax, and left parietal meningioma. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability did not begin during service or is otherwise related to in-service noise exposure. As a result, the claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, TBI, and migraine headaches have been reopened. The claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The claim of service connection for TBI is denied. A VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran’s psychiatric disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning and failure to consider the Veteran's arguments regarding his service-connected tinnitus aggravating his left ear hearing loss.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's hearing loss was caused by his military service. The case will be sent back for further review.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including ankle and foot conditions and a psychiatric disorder. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in a previous medical opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. An addendum opinion is needed to address the in-service noise exposure.

The Board has denied the petitions to reopen claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and dental disability, finding no new and material evidence. The claim for VA outpatient dental treatment is remanded.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is found to be at least as likely as not related to service noise exposure, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's left ankle sprain is currently rated at 10 percent, and the claim for an increased rating is denied.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 50 percent, and the claim for an increased rating is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 50 percent evaluation of his bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and assistance housebound status is denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss in his right ear, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his hazardous noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for residuals of pleural cavity injury at left, secondary to gunshot wound with multiple fractures, p/o thoracotomy and wedge resection of left lung with MFB’s in right lung field is denied. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to potential inconsistencies in the medical evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his military service. The decision resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous directives and for further development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities combined resulted in debilitating effects that rendered him less capable of resisting heart disease.

The Veteran's combined disability rating of 70% due to service-connected conditions, including PTSD, hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus type II, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy, has rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to December 16, 2019, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter has been withdrawn. The Board dismissed the appeal as per the Veteran's request.