Hearing loss decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted as his active service aggravated a pre-existing condition.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is denied as there is no current diagnosis.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent prior to July 2, 2019 and at 30 percent thereafter. The Board finds no basis for a higher rating in either period.,The Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 20 percent prior to June 24, 2019 and at 40 percent thereafter. The Board finds no basis for a higher rating in either period.,TDIU has been remanded as the Veteran indicated he could not work due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, MDD, and alcohol use disorder.

The Veteran's left hip degenerative joint disease is granted as secondary to his service-connected knee disabilities, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss is granted due to noise exposure during service, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss existed prior to service and was not aggravated beyond its normal progression. The claim for left ear hearing loss was also denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is presumed to have been incurred in service due to noise exposure during combat operations.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, Type II and its secondary effects on peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities are granted. The eye disability is also linked to diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, as there is insufficient evidence to determine if his condition was related to active duty service.

The Board has remanded the hip claims for further development. The sciatic nerve and hearing loss claims are denied as there is no current diagnosis of a bilateral sciatic nerve condition or bilateral hearing loss, respectively, and the Veteran's assertions have not been supported by competent medical evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss based on continuity of symptoms since service separation, meeting the criteria for presumptive service connection under 38 U.S.C. § 1112 and 38 C.F.R. § 3.303(b).

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left arm and leg disabilities, hypertension, and a respiratory disability. The decision also remanded the issues of service connection for a left shoulder disability (including arthritis) and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss but denied service connection for diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the merits have been dismissed due to withdrawal of appeal. The claims for reopening were granted, and new evidence was submitted in support of these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to service, resolving reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and dysthymic disorder, did not prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to June 10, 2010.

The Board has determined that the appellant's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus did not have their inception during active service, were not manifested to a compensable degree within one year of separation from active duty, and are not otherwise causally related to an injury or disease during his active service. Therefore, entitlement to service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for his left ear hearing loss disability, finding that the evidence did not warrant a higher evaluation given the current level of impairment.

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 in service and no causal relationship to military noise exposure. The Veteran's current hearing loss was not shown within one year after separation from service.

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss. The decision is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent prior to July 14, 2017 and at 20 percent thereafter. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings for any period.

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to a TDIU prior to June 7, 2018 due to insufficient evidence and for referral to the Director, Compensation Service for consideration on an extraschedular basis.