Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss disability is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability that is causally or etiologically related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his military service, with a current diagnosis of these conditions. The Board has granted service connection for both conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to acoustic trauma sustained in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is not causally related to his active service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's exposure to acoustic trauma during service is causally related to his current conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded. The Veteran's claim for COPD is also being remanded.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent from June 1, 2016 for prostate cancer remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The RO granted service connection in March 2012, effective from September 8, 2010, but the Board found that no earlier effective date could be assigned due to lack of evidence prior to this date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, as there was not enough evidence showing he is unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but denied service connection for residuals of a cold injury to the upper and lower extremities. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible statements regarding his symptoms in service and thereafter.

The Veteran's initial rating for PTSD was denied, and the case is remanded for further development regarding hearing loss, tinnitus, and TDIU.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at a noncompensable disability level prior to May 28, 2019. The appeal for an increased rating is denied.,For the period prior to May 28, 2019, the Veteran’s vertigo was rated at a 10 percent disability level. The appeal for a higher rating is denied.,Effective from May 28, 2019, the Veteran's Meniere's syndrome was rated at a 30 percent disability level. The appeal for an increased rating is denied.

The Veteran's death was caused by senility, which the Appellant argues may be related to his service-connected PTSD. The Board is unable to make a decision without an opinion from a VA examiner regarding whether the Veteran’s PTSD contributed to his death.,The AOJ must obtain the Veteran's complete service personnel records and determine if he served in the Philippine Commonwealth Army, as well as any missing treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination for bilateral hearing loss. The kidney cancer service connection is granted based on herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected as it began during his active duty in Bosnia and has continued since.

The Veteran's hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, and the Board denied a compensable rating.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is at least equipoise evidence to support these claims.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining medical records. The claims will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss as the evidence did not show it was incurred in or aggravated by active duty, and continuity of symptomatology was not established.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss. The examiner must address the Veteran’s reports and his wife's testimony, as well as relevant literature.