Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder condition, but remanded the issues of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to outstanding STRs and incomplete audiometric evaluations. Service connection was also granted for a left shoulder condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and psychiatric disability (including PTSD).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for nephrolithiasis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence in some cases. The Veteran must be provided with new VA examinations to assess his kidney stones, knee disabilities, and hearing loss.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the possibility of additional private treatment records being available.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are etiologically related to his in-service noise exposure.

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

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected.,The Veteran's OSA is granted as secondary to his obesity, which was caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar strain and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to the need for new VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted. The claim for service connection for dental disabilities is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for TDIU and DEA benefits, finding that he did not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU prior to May 8, 2018, and thus was not entitled to such benefits. The decision also noted that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment prior to May 8, 2018.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss were denied, but his claim for tinnitus was granted. The decision is mixed as it reopens the previously denied hearing loss claim and grants tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to procedural issues, specifically regarding the issues of TDIU and DEA benefits. The hearing loss rating has been partially granted but remains in appellate status.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is rated at 70 percent from February 21, 2017 to October 25, 2017. The rating was increased based on the results of a February 2017 audiological examination.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to evidence of worsening hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as uncertainty about his employment status.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that it does not warrant a compensable rating based on audiometric findings.,For his lumbar spine traumatic arthritis (back condition), the Veteran’s current disability picture does not meet or approximate the criteria for a 20 percent rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The Board finds that remand is necessary to obtain additional information regarding the severity of his back condition.,The Veteran's Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma has been considered, but no compensable rating can be assigned as it did not recur or metastasize since treatment in 2010 and he does not have any residuals from the condition.,Regarding the skin condition, a compensable rating is denied as there is insufficient information to determine if the Veteran's current disability picture warrants such a rating. The Board finds that remand is necessary for further evaluation.,The allergic rhinitis/sinusitis claim was also remanded due to insufficient information regarding its severity and impact on the Veteran’s daily life.,Regarding bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, the Veteran's current disability picture does not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The Board finds that remand is necessary to obtain additional information regarding this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, with the exception of tinnitus which was granted but not earlier than July 31, 2018. The other conditions were either not shown to be related to service or did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his condition. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the rating assigned for his service-connected right ear hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ear hearing loss disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is as likely as not related to his active duty service. The decision resolves all doubt in favor of the Veteran.