Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions arose during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, DMII, glaucoma of the left eye, bilateral tinnitus, and right ear hearing loss, render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection. Service connection for a headache condition is denied, and the Veteran's low back condition and acquired psychiatric condition (to include major depression) are remanded.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection of bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran is found to have a current disability related to service, specifically noise exposure during active duty, which led to his current bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including verifying the Veteran's claimed personal assault stressor and obtaining medical opinions regarding his diagnoses and service connection claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's hearing loss is etiologically related to in-service acoustic trauma and meets the requirements of presumptive service connection under 38 C.F.R. § 3.303(b).

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbar spine disability, sleep apnea, and increased rating for bilateral hearing loss due to new and material evidence received.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that discontinuance of VR&E services based on a negative feasibility determination was proper due to the Veteran's significant physical health issues and extensive limitations in his activities. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including cold injuries and hearing loss, do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate previous opinions.

The Board has granted the reopening of the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and determined that it is related to service, based on continuity of symptoms since service. The Veteran's current hearing loss disability meets the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increase rating for bilateral hearing loss before the Board made a decision.

The Veteran's hearing loss is not service-connected as it did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period and there is no evidence of chronic symptomatology since separation. His tinnitus, however, is at least as likely as not causally related to active service, including due to hazardous noise exposure therein.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The cases of bilateral hearing loss and left knee disorder are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is granted a 10 percent rating since November 14, 2019. The Veteran's service-connected asbestosis is granted a 100 percent rating since October 17, 2019.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that his current hearing loss is not related to military service and did not manifest within one year of separation.

The Veteran withdrew all his appeals, including those related to higher ratings for sciatica and lumbosacral spondylolisthesis with IVDS, an increased rating for right shoulder impingement syndrome, a TDIU effective date earlier than August 25, 2011, service connection for tinnitus, and hearing loss. The Board dismissed the appeal due to withdrawal.