Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Veteran's tension headaches are rated at the minimum compensable level of 10 percent, effective December 29, 2012. The other conditions have been granted service connection.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss from February 4, 2015 before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss but granted service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have its onset in service, while his hearing loss is not related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss began during service and has continued since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has determined that an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is not warranted. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. Effective dates prior to December 12, 2017 are not warranted.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection was denied. The Board found that the current PTSD rating of 70 percent adequately reflects his impairment, while the lumbar strain rating of 10 percent is also appropriate given his symptoms. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was not granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability that is related to his military service.,The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral knee and foot/ankle disabilities, as well as sinusitis due to insufficient medical opinions provided in previous examinations.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, finding that it is aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new evidence received since the last final denial, which raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was rated as noncompensable before April 10, 2017 and at a rating of 10 percent from April 10, 2017 to July 8, 2020. On and after July 8, 2020, the Veteran's disability was rated as 70 percent.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased evaluation of ischemic heart disease and service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder, and remanded the claim for total disability based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's bilateral flat feet are related to his military service.,The Veteran’s right ankle disability, diagnosed as posterior tibial tendonitis and osteoarthritis, is related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his audiometric findings did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his service, given that exposure to noise during service has been conceded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and has remanded the service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need for further examinations. The Veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD are pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's clinically elevated threshold of 25 dB at 500 Hertz in his right ear during separation examination. The Veteran contends that his current hearing loss is related to service, including exposure to noise during combat and working at an ammunition dump.