Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has denied a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected, but has granted service connection for tinnitus based on credible lay evidence of in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, residuals of nonspecific urethritis (prior to July 30, 2019), and residuals of nonspecific urethritis (since July 30, 2019) were denied. The claim for service connection for a chronic gastrointestinal disorder was also denied.,The Veteran's hearing loss disability has been rated as noncompensable under the applicable rating criteria.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right hip condition, and left hip condition due to a lack of evidence showing current disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss was not caused by in-service noise exposure and did not manifest within one year of separation from service. The evidence showed no hearing loss during service or at separation, and post-service occupational and recreational noise exposure is considered more likely to have contributed to the Veteran's current condition.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a gum condition (loss of teeth) due to lack of evidence showing current disabilities.,Service connection for respiratory disability, specifically sleep apnea, is remanded as the Veteran contends it was caused by in-service exposure to jet engine exhaust fumes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss, and therefore denied his claim. The claims for PTSD, low testosterone, low back condition, CFS, and GERD are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, but has remanded them due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's current conditions are being evaluated again.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for additional development of his employment history and VA examinations.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that his current condition is at least as likely as not related to his military noise exposure. However, the Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence meeting VA's definition of hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and vision problems have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, hemorrhoids, and bilateral hearing loss. The evidence did not support the presence of these conditions during or after service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, right knee condition, and tinnitus are all granted service connection.,A left knee condition is remanded for further examination to determine if it is related to the Veteran's right knee disability.

Service connection is granted for Traumatic Brain Injury, Headache disorder (secondary to TBI), and Bilateral hearing loss. Service connection is denied for Left foot disorder, Loss of smell, and Loss of taste.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple issues including service connection for various conditions and seeking initial ratings in excess of the current assigned ratings. The Board has remanded these matters to obtain additional examinations and evidence.,The Veteran is seeking an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his right knee disability, hearing loss, psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD and depression), and lumbar disability.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 50 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied as the increase in symptoms warranting this rating became factually ascertainable at the time of the October 5, 2017 VA audiological examination.

The Board dismissed the appeals on all issues of entitlement to service connection for various conditions due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a chronic disability during or within one year after service and no causal relationship to in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's current hearing loss was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the Veteran's incarceration and requests that he be scheduled for a VA examination.