Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability and bilateral hearing loss disability, finding no evidence of in-service injury or exposure that could support these claims.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations of PTSD and bilateral hearing loss, as well as his claim for TDIU, are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional VA treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link to service.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss due to a lack of evidence showing the condition was incurred or aggravated during active service.,Service connection for left-testicular mass was also denied as there is no evidence of treatment after service and no current diagnosis.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions had their onset during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating, as his audiometric testing consistently reflects Level I or II hearing loss in both ears.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss has been rated as Level II, which does not meet the criteria for an initial compensable rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and has remanded his service connection claims for bilateral knee disorders.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to non-compliance with previous remand directives.

The Veteran's hearing impairment was rated at Level I in both ears, resulting in a noncompensable rating. The Board found no evidence to warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 50 percent since December 17, 2019. The Board denied a higher rating for the period prior to that date.

The Board has determined that the appellant did not have active military service and therefore is not a veteran for VA compensation purposes. As such, their claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The claims for increased disability evaluations for unspecified depressive disorder and a low back disability, as well as the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, are being remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied because there is no current disability of hearing loss in either ear, as determined by audiometric testing.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and arthrosis of the lumbar spine at L5-S1 have been granted. The effective dates for these grants are November 6, 2013. However, an earlier effective date of November 15, 2012 has also been granted for service connection for tinnitus and arthrosis of the lumbar spine at L5-S1.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not show that his hearing impairment warranted a compensable disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the audiometric test results did not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not show that his hearing impairment warranted a compensable disability rating.

The Veteran's DIC claim under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 was denied as he did not meet the durational requirement for a total disability rating.,Service connection for the cause of death was also denied, with the Board concluding that COPD did not begin during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his active military service.