Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development due to inadequate opinions regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and lumbar spondylosis.,The Veteran's current complaints of right ear hearing loss symptoms during service, coupled with the presence of a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss, warrant presumptive service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU due to service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that his disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of entitlement to a compensable disability rating for residuals of right calf contusion and service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, high blood pressure (hypertension), lumbar and lower back condition, vision and cataracts, and erectile dysfunction and sexual dysfunction.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the most persuasive evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's active duty service and his current hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the cases due to a need to determine if the Veteran now has hearing loss and tinnitus for VA purposes, as well as whether these conditions began during service.

The Board has denied a compensable disability rating for right ear hearing loss and has remanded the issue of service connection for left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, while his left ear hearing loss remains unconnected to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and in-service noise exposure or tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and psychiatric disability, as well as assessing the current severity of his lumbar spine, lower extremity radiculopathy, back scars, and left ear perforated tympanic membrane.

The Board has remanded the issues of rating higher than 0 percent for bilateral hearing loss prior to June 17, 2015 and effective date of June 17, 2015 for the award of a 10 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss. The issue of rating higher than 10 percent from June 17, 2015 forward is also remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear sensorineural hearing loss, finding that there is at least approximate balance of evidence regarding continuous symptoms since active service.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 50 percent for OSA is dismissed due to the withdrawal by his attorney.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there was no evidence of hearing loss within one year after separation from service and it is not related to service.,Service connection for IHD remains denied as the Veteran's condition does not meet the criteria for chronic congestive heart failure, workload restrictions, or left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction less than 30 percent.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II (diabetes) is denied due to lack of evidence showing it was incurred in service and there are no complications requiring separate ratings.,The Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to February 19, 2015, remains pending as the effective date has not been established.

The Board has ordered the remand of two issues: service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's representative argues that an addendum opinion is needed to address whether his delayed onset hearing loss should be considered.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate these claims.

The Board denied reopening service connection for right and left ear hearing loss, hypertension, tinnitus, kidney disease, and a heart disorder (to include coronary artery disease or ischemic heart disease). Service connection was granted for hypertension based on the PACT Act presumption of herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current hearing loss did not have an onset in service or during a presumptive period after service. The Board also found no evidence linking his current hearing loss to noise exposure during service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current hearing loss is not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and further development is needed. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus claim was denied, while his psychiatric disability, hearing loss, lung disability, hypertension, left leg disability, CVA residuals, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability claims are being remanded.

The Veteran was granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis for the period prior to March 31, 2015 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's in-service noise exposure is linked to his current conditions.