Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but has remanded the issue of service connection for pharynx (upper trachea) squamous cell carcinoma due to lack of medical opinion regarding herbicide exposure.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for bilateral hearing loss and congestive heart failure due to the appellant's death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and thus grants his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds it does not warrant a higher rating.,The Veteran's left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds it does not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear and left ear hearing loss, finding that there is no current disability or link to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable due to the audiometric test results showing no worse than Level IV in the right ear and Level II in the left ear. The Board found that a compensable rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is denied.,Service connection for GERD, hiatal hernia, and skin condition (eczema) to include chronic fatigue syndrome is remanded due to incomplete or inadequate opinions in the current VA examinations.,The Veteran's chronic fatigue syndrome is also remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including hearing loss and tinnitus, GERD, and his right foot and ankle injury. The Veteran will need to provide updated VA treatment records, undergo medical examinations for his hearing loss and tinnitus, GERD, and right foot and ankle injury, and complete a TDIU application form.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity and a higher rating for low back disability is denied.,Service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the left hand and right hand, as well as a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss are also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to missing medical and personnel records, including the Veteran's separation examination. A new VA medical opinion is needed to determine the current nature and severity of her bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claims for plantar fasciitis of the right foot and acquired psychiatric disorder are being remanded due to a lack of medical evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence linking his current hearing loss to his active duty service.

The Veteran's initial claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The maximum schedular rating of 60 percent for psoriasis is granted from August 22, 2017.,The Veteran's service-connected psoriasis has been rated at the highest possible level (60%) since August 22, 2017.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, and diabetes mellitus type II due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The Veteran should be afforded new examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a comprehensive examination of his service-connected disabilities' impact on employment. The issue of TDIU will be reconsidered based on all available evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran should be afforded new VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, major depressive disorder, right knee disorders, and left knee disorders due to insufficient opinions in the previous examination reports. The claims are being remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent disabling from May 23, 2017. The effective date for service connection of PTSD is set as May 23, 2017. A TDIU was granted starting from May 23, 2017.

Your TDIU claim is dismissed because you are already receiving a 100% rating for bipolar disorder and SMC based on housebound status.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, respiratory disability, prostate disability, left arm disability (hand carpal tunnel), right arm disability (hand carpal tunnel), left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, low back disability, left leg disability, right leg disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability or a relationship to service.