Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, granted both claims, and found that there is at least a reasonable possibility that the Veteran’s hearing loss worsened during service. Service connection was also granted for tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss disability in the right ear, but granted service connection for a current left ear hearing loss disability.,The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence linking his current conditions to service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of new and material evidence, as the Veteran's assertions were not sufficient to reopen the claim.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to February 23, 2016, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter is remanded due to the need for updated VA medical records and an audiometric examination.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated at 10 percent since April 1971. The most recent VA examination in October 2019 showed a right ear pure tone threshold average of 90 decibels and left ear pure tone threshold average of 58 decibels, resulting in a 10 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 6100.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient information and need for additional medical opinions. The issues of PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right shoulder disability, lumbar spine disability, headaches, left foot disability, right foot disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability are all remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims and increased rating claims due to new evidence received after previous decisions. The Veteran is entitled to a compensable rating for hypertension, but additional development is needed as no SOC was issued regarding this issue. He also needs an examination to determine the current severity of his hypertension. Other issues are remanded for further action.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and depressive disorder as secondary to his service-connected gastrectomy with dumping syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and B12 deficiency anemia. The decision is based on lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the cases of bilateral hearing loss and coronary artery disease for further development. The case of bilateral hearing loss will require an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current hearing loss is related to service, specifically noting the audiometric findings at separation from service. For the case of coronary artery disease, the Board must determine if the Veteran served in the Republic of Vietnam and apply the relevant laws accordingly.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, benign prostatic hypertrophy, poor circulation, numbness of the left leg, numbness of the right leg, erectile dysfunction, asthma, coronary artery disease and chronic congestive heart failure, left carpal tunnel syndrome, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and urinary incontinence due to a lack of an adequate VA examination for these conditions.

The Board has remanded several issues, including the Veteran's claims for service connection and effective dates. The specific issues include bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, increased ratings for coronary artery disease, and effective dates for erectile dysfunction and SMC.

The Board has granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis as of September 6, 2010, finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from all substantially gainful employment prior to December 2, 2014.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability has increased in severity since his last VA examination, and he needs to be scheduled for a new examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations. The AOJ is also tasked with determining whether service connection is in effect for diabetes mellitus, scheduling an examination for erectile dysfunction, and obtaining medical nexus opinions for allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, fatigue, loss of sense of taste, and loss of sense of smell.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence regarding in-service noise exposure and their current conditions. The AOJ must seek clarification of private audiometry results and obtain a VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss prior to December 21, 2017 was rated as noncompensable due to the audiometric results not meeting the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss disability was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA regulations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his in-service acoustic trauma and grants service connection for this condition.