Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, erectile dysfunction, tissue damage, nerve damage, and an eye disability (right eye) due to incomplete compliance with previous remand directives.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the appeal for a higher rating remains pending.,Service connection for cataracts has been remanded due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding its relationship to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a stomach condition and right ear hearing loss due to inadequate medical opinions. The issues are related to service connection, with potential secondary effects from other conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was rated as noncompensable prior to June 15, 2018 and at a 10 percent rating thereafter. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increased rating.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link to active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is related to his in-service hazardous noise exposure and resolving any doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus has been denied.,Service connection for DMII and a heart condition have been granted, with the effective date being April 18, 2018.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been denied.,An effective date prior to April 18, 2018 for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is denied due to lack of evidence within one year of separation from service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder, and bilateral hearing loss due to in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric condition is being reviewed again as there are inconsistencies in the medical records and need for clarification. For his hearing loss claim, a new VA examination is needed to determine if he has a current disability related to service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete records, including Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits records. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and an increased rating for PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for sleep apnea are being remanded due to lack of compliance with previous Board directives.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is related to service or secondary to his service-connected tinnitus. Additional VA medical opinion is needed.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for left ear hearing loss due to a discrepancy in speech discrimination scores between different VA examinations. The Veteran's current hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a disability for VA purposes, and an addendum opinion is needed to reconcile this.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to noise exposure during active service. The Veteran's current hearing loss disability does not meet VA criteria, while his tinnitus is denied as there is no evidence of onset or continuity since service.,For the back condition issue, the Board directed a remand to obtain medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran’s pre-existing back condition was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and his TDIU claim is denied.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss as there was no evidence of a current disability at the time of the appeal.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, depression, a chronic gynecological disorder, and chronic headaches as the evidence did not meet the criteria for these conditions.,Service connection was not granted because there is no current disability meeting VA's threshold for hearing impairment or other claimed conditions.

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

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, with the VA finding that his hearing acuity did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding a reduction in the rating for bilateral hearing loss from 10% to noncompensable as of May 1, 2016.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for status post cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation in both eyes is also denied.