Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted, and the case is remanded for further examination. His prostate cancer residuals are also remanded for a new rating determination.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development to determine if there is a current diagnosis of hearing loss and tinnitus, and to obtain information about in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including evaluations for degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar and cervical spines, bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, right and left carpal tunnel syndromes, and left arm numbness. The Veteran is also seeking service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is denied as there was no evidence of acoustic trauma during service and the VA examiner found it less likely than not related to service.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension are denied due to lack of in-service onset or relationship to service, with post-service diagnoses beginning many years after separation from service.,The Veteran's asthma is currently rated at 30 percent under Diagnostic Code 6602. The VA examiner found no evidence of more than one attack per week with episodes of respiratory failure, monthly visits for care of exacerbations, or daily use of systemic corticosteroids or immunosuppressive medications.,The Veteran's asthma is not rated higher as the current rating already reflects his need for daily inhalation therapy and anti-inflammatory medication.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. However, the claims are still pending as further development is required before their merits can be addressed.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at zero percent, as there is no evidence of more severe impairment.,For the right knee degenerative arthritis with patellofemoral pain syndrome prior to September 19, 2018, the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent.,From September 19, 2018, the Veteran's right knee degenerative arthritis is rated at 20 percent due to limited range of motion and pain. However, this rating is denied as it does not exceed the maximum allowable under the applicable diagnostic codes.,For the left knee degenerative arthritis with patellofemoral pain syndrome, the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence regarding the impact of his disabilities on his employability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for treatment purposes under 38 U.S.C. § 1702 for an acquired psychiatric disability and for right ear hearing loss due to lack of a current disability as recognized by VA regulation.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than March 14, 2012 for the award of service connection for PTSD is denied.,The Veteran's freestanding claim for an effective date prior to October 22, 1992 for the award of service connection for right-sided trigeminal neuralgia is dismissed as a matter of law.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer, hypertension due to herbicide exposure, and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded for further development.

The Board dismissed the appeals of the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no credible evidence to support his contention that his hearing loss began in service or is related to noise exposure during service. The Board also found that the preponderance of the evidence did not support a nexus between the Veteran's current hearing loss and any in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The right ear hearing loss claim is remanded for further examination.,An increased rating for hypertension was dismissed due to lack of a timely appeal. The claims for bilateral knee joint diseases are also remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus has been granted. The claim for tinnitus is now granted, but the claim for left ear hearing loss disability remains pending as it was remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, attributing these conditions to in-service combat noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for tinea pedis, bilateral feet; incarcerated umbilical hernia, status post surgical correction (claimed as umbilical hernia/condition); bilateral hearing loss; and bilateral tinnitus due to internal inconsistencies in the August 2015 VA examinations and the need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the cases of entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU prior to December 18, 2008, and SMC at the housebound rate under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) prior to October 21, 2016 due to incomplete evidence in the claims file.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss is denied, but his claim for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for service-connected psychiatric disability was granted, with an effective date of February 19, 2015.,Service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss were also granted.

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