Hearing loss decisions — 2023

The Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during active duty service and has continued to the present. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the case is remanded for further development including VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities, including right ear hearing loss, hypertension, allergies, heart disability, liver disability, and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include stress/emotional disorder, are remanded due to incomplete information regarding his military service. The AOJ is instructed to obtain clarification of the specific dates and character of the appellant's service, including his Military Master Pay Account (MMPA) with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS).

The Board has remanded the case due to an error in not addressing a secondary service connection theory for tinnitus, which may be caused by hearing loss. The issue of hearing loss is still pending and needs further development.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but the evidence does not show a current disability.,The Veteran seeks service connection for erectile dysfunction and an acquired psychiatric disability, both of which are secondary to his service-connected left shoulder, right shoulder, migraine headache, sleep apnea, and sinusitis disabilities. The Board finds remand necessary as adequate medical opinions are needed on the nature and etiology of these conditions.,The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but the evidence does not show a current disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's respiratory disability, including diagnosed asthma and COPD. The issues of service connection for residuals of a stress fracture of the left fibula and bilateral hearing loss have been resolved in full.

The Board has denied service connection for a kidney disorder and remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremity, and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's back disability is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss is denied because the Veteran does not meet VA criteria for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that his claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss as there is no evidence of a current disability, and the weight of the evidence does not meet the threshold to establish a current hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate opinions in the December 2019 VA opinion and the February 2020 VA medical opinion. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to noise exposure, while his polyuria and urinary urgency are related to prostatitis.

The Veteran's right upper extremity and left upper extremity disabilities were not found to be related to service.,Diabetic nephropathy was not shown to have been incurred in service or due to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's cervical spine disability and TBI are remanded for further examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, lung cancer, and brain cancer. The decision found that there was no evidence of a current disability or a link between any claimed conditions and service.,Service connection could not be granted due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam and insufficient medical evidence linking the Veteran's lung cancer to his in-service asbestos exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions due to outstanding treatment records from his time in Germany. The AOJ must obtain these records and provide an explanation if they cannot be obtained.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his service-connected unspecified depressive disorder and bilateral hearing loss, as well as a TDIU based on these conditions, are being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations.

The Veteran withdrew their appeals for service connection for heart disease, hypertension, hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and rating determinations due to the progression of his service-connected disabilities, specifically PTSD with insomnia disorder, right wrist strain, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and low back disorder due to lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and service.

Service connection is granted for PTSD, MDD, anxiety, migraines, and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities include PTSD, MDD, anxiety, migraines, and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.