Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss of the left ear due to aggravation during active duty, but denied service connection for a left ankle condition as there is no evidence it was incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims of increased ratings and effective dates for service-connected conditions have been denied. The claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities has also been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for PTSD and anxiety disorder due to a lack of evidence supporting these claims. The Veteran is required to provide sufficient information to verify his alleged stressors, and VA will attempt to obtain relevant records from appropriate custodians.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. Service connection for asbestosis and asthma are denied, but the claim of reopening the asthma claim is granted. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and COPD are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a VA examination for left ear hearing loss, which is related to service and noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and right ear hearing loss, finding that both conditions are at least as likely as not incurred during service. However, the Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss due to a preexisting condition noted on entrance into service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and bilateral lower extremity numbness, finding no current disability in either condition.,The Veteran was not granted service connection for his claimed conditions as they were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection. The right ear hearing loss is remanded for further examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no current disability to relate to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing impairment is at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to ambiguities in the record regarding whether the Veteran currently has left ear hearing loss and the basis for the January 2017 VA examiner's negative nexus opinion as it pertains to the left ear. The Veteran is also requested to provide updated treatment records from any private practitioners.

The Board has denied a compensable disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The cases of obstructive sleep apnea, heart disability, and prostate disability are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating prior to February 11, 2020 and in excess of 10 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective April 1, 2011. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted. The Veteran's sleep apnea remains in excess of 50 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to noise exposure during military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of right ear hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between his current condition and in-service noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability was not incurred or aggravated during service and is not otherwise related to his military noise exposure. As such, the claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there is no evidence of a chronic disability present during or within one year after service, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss and remanded his claims for acquired psychiatric disability and skin disability due to incomplete development.