Hearing loss decisions — 2020

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

The Board has granted a 10 percent evaluation for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has determined that additional service records are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for diabetes, bilateral hearing loss, lumbosacral strain (chronic lower back pain), missing lower teeth, and permanent scarring of the lower lip. The VA will obtain these records and then readjudicate the cases.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions were incurred or caused by service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea due to conflicting opinions and need for additional medical evidence.

The Veteran's hearing loss prior to June 12, 2014 was not found to be more than a noncompensable level. The Board has ordered the case remanded for further examination and evaluation of his current hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not result in functional impairment that precluded him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to May 2, 2017. Therefore, a TDIU rating prior to this date is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability has been dismissed due to their passing.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable disability rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been withdrawn.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension is denied as the evidence does not support an in-service occurrence or relationship to military service.,The Veteran’s claim for left hand and finger arthritis remains pending, but requires further development including a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to outstanding VA treatment records that need to be obtained for a proper evaluation of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss disability is at least as likely as not related to exposure to harmful noise during his active duty in the Navy. The claim was reopened due to new and material evidence submitted since the September 2011 rating decision.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to potential worsening of his condition and unclear speech discrimination test results. A new VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and his TDIU claim was also denied due to lack of evidence showing he is unable to secure or follow any substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability. The examiner did not provide a clear and reasoned explanation for their conclusion that the hearing loss is not related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal because his March 2018 VA Form 9 was not timely filed, and thus the September 2015 rating decision is final.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied or not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The claim for PTSD was reopened, but the Board found no causal relationship between the current disability and active duty.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that he does not have a current disability and thus cannot establish service connection.

The Board has dismissed the claim of service connection for left ear hearing loss. The remaining issues on appeal have been remanded.