Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because her representative withdrew the appeals for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss before a decision could be made.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, psychiatric disorder (major depressive disorder), and sleep disorder have been denied. The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's contentions that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that he does not have a current disability as defined by VA regulations and thus cannot establish service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to May 4, 2013. The evidence did not show that his service-connected disabilities alone prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, a psychiatric disorder (specifically persistent depressive disorder), and bilateral hearing loss due to potential issues with the examinations provided. The Veteran is required to undergo additional VA examinations to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent, effective October 15, 2019. The Board found that a higher rating was not warranted prior to this date.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is granted as service connected.,The Veteran's left elbow disorder and right elbow disorder are both granted as service connected.,The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as secondary to his service-connected right ear hearing loss.,Service connection for eustachian tube dysfunction is remanded due to conflicting evidence regarding its relation to active service.

The case is being remanded for additional medical examination to determine the nature and etiology of any hearing loss, including whether it is related to service-connected sinusitis and allergic rhinitis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with spinal stenosis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during service or were related to in-service injuries.

The Veteran's appeals for a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for sinusitis and allergic rhinitis were dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of consideration of an IOM report on noise exposure in service, and for further examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found no worse than Level I hearing loss in the right ear and Level I hearing loss in the left ear, resulting in a zero percent disability rating. Service connection for left knee and left shoulder disorders, as well as loss of sense of smell, is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are granted. Service connection is established for right ear hearing loss disability, tinnitus secondary to a service-connected right ear hearing loss disability, and left ear hearing loss disability. The Veteran's claims for asthma, bilateral hearing loss, chloracne, cysts on the head and back, and tinnitus remain denied.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss, a left-hand disability (other than carpal tunnel syndrome), a right-hand disability (other than carpal tunnel syndrome), neuropathy of the left lower extremity, and neuropathy of the right lower extremity.,The Board found that there was no current diagnosis of left ear hearing loss or any other hand or lower extremity disabilities. The Veteran's symptoms were not supported by medical evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss from June 9, 2011 is denied. The claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is also denied.

The Board has decided that the service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss should be remanded due to incomplete records and the need to confirm combat exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no current disability of bilateral hearing loss that meets VA criteria.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that there was no causal relationship between his current disabilities and his active duty service. The Board noted that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for direct service connection due to lack of evidence linking his current conditions to his in-service noise exposure.