Hearing loss decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is related to service, including noise exposure from his MOS of small arms infantryman.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to obtain medical opinions regarding service connection, rating criteria, and range of motion measurements.

The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with the July 2019 remand directives and has therefore ordered a new examination and medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his active service, including in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his service, as he experienced symptoms during his period of honorable active duty and the evidence is in equipoise regarding this condition.

The Board denied an initial rating greater than 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on current disability ratings derived from audiometry results.

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

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

The Board has remanded the cases due to uncertainty regarding the appellant's status as a valid substitute for the deceased Veteran and further development is needed.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion to address the Veteran's lay statements regarding his service-connected left shoulder disorder.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU beginning June 23, 2019, due to his service-connected disabilities. The effective date is based on the last day of his substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 70 percent since January 8, 2020. The claim is denied as there are no audiograms or speech recognition results prior to that date.

The Board has remanded the cases due to a lack of substantial compliance with its November 2019 remand, specifically regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The examiner must address studies cited by the Veteran in his briefs regarding delayed onset hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, prostate cancer, and hearing loss. The Board finds that the evidence shows he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment as a result of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional medical opinions regarding service connection for Meniere's disease (claimed as vertigo). The right ear hearing loss disability claim is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and back condition(s) due to inadequate VA examinations. The cases are now pending for further development, including obtaining new VA examinations that consider all lay statements in conjunction with medical evidence.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities are granted with a 10% rating prior to April 16, 2019. Ratings for the right wrist, left ankle, left ear hearing loss, costochondritis-mid sternal (chest pain), and unspecified depressive disorder remain denied.,Service connection for heartburn and gastrointestinal disability is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence linking his current hearing loss to in-service noise exposure or syncope and headaches complaints.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss warranted a 60% evaluation as of November 4, 2013. The effective date is not earlier than this due to the lack of evidence showing an increase in disability prior to this date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of his current hearing loss.