Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed additional disabilities of right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and headaches as a result of his March 1998 VA surgery. The case is now pending for further development.

Service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, sleep apnea, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus is denied.,PTSD disability rating in excess of 70 percent is denied. Total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for long QT syndrome was denied as the evidence did not show more than four episodes of atrial fibrillation in a year, which is required for a higher disability rating.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied because the Veteran does not have auditory thresholds above 40 decibels or speech recognition scores below 94 percent, indicating no current disability as defined by VA regulations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is in need of personal care services for a minimum of six continuous months due to his severe hearing loss. The decision is remanded to determine if participation in the PCAFC program is in the Veteran's best interest.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no nexus between his current hearing disability and his active service. The Board noted that the Veteran did not have a hearing disability during service or within one year of separation, and that his in-service exposure to acoustic trauma did not result in a compensable degree of hearing loss.

An effective date of March 17, 2009, is granted for the grant of service connection for tinnitus. The issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with meniscal tear are remanded.

The appeals for hearing loss, tinnitus, and a back disability are dismissed as the Veteran's claims were improperly docketed under the AMA.,The appeals for neck, left shoulder, right shoulder, left knee, and right knee disabilities are also dismissed due to improper docketing under the AMA.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection, but his bilateral hearing loss and left eyebrow scar are denied. The right hand condition, right knee condition, right ankle condition (claimed as secondary to right knee condition), and lumbar spine condition (claimed as secondary to right knee condition) are all remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grants of ratings for cervical strain, thoracolumbar strain, and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded due to a failure to obtain all treatment records from VHA's approval of the Veteran to seek treatment via the Veterans' Choice Program.,Specifically, the Board is requesting that VA attempt to obtain all treatment records generated from VHA's authorization for the Veteran to receive health care through the Veterans' Choice Program. These records are believed to contain relevant information pertaining to his service-connected psychiatric disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and right ear hearing loss, but denied service connection for left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to in-service noise exposure, while his right ear hearing loss is also linked to military service. However, the evidence does not support a finding of current left ear hearing loss for VA purposes.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and right ear hearing loss, but denied service connection for left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to in-service noise exposure, while his right ear hearing loss is also linked to military service. However, the evidence does not support a finding of current left ear hearing loss for VA purposes.

The Veteran's hearing loss in the left ear is not rated compensably, and his anxiety disorder and other specified recurrent depressive disorder are not rated higher than 70 percent. The claims for service connection of GERD and ED are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issues of increased evaluations for prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, and SMC for loss of creative organ.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issues of service connection for lumbar spine disorder, psychiatric disorder, nerve impingement of the legs, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, and left foot disorder. The issues are inextricably intertwined with the issue of service connection for lumbar spine disorder.

The Board has found that the Veteran's service records cannot be located and that there are no relevant post-service medical treatment records. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical spine disability, right inguinal hernia, memory loss due to concussion, bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and bilateral knee disability are remanded for further development.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal for bilateral hearing loss disability. The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding service connection and initial compensable ratings for left ear hearing loss and right ear hearing loss due to a withdrawal request by the Veteran's authorized representative.

The Board has granted entitlement to special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance, but the issue of housebound status is moot due to this grant. The appeal for a higher rating for PTSD is remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability, at its worst, is rated as Level I in both ears. The Board denied the claim for an initial compensable rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been remanded due to the submission of new evidence. The Board found that there is sufficient evidence to readjudicate these claims, but the medical opinions provided were deemed inadequate.