Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow any form of substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU effective September 10, 2020.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including traumatic brain injury residuals, lumbosacral spine intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative joint disease, PTSD, and other conditions, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has also determined that the Veteran meets the criteria for basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a disability under VA regulations.,The Veteran's claim for residuals of TB drugs is denied as there is no persuasive evidence that his current symptoms are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claims for service connection for bilateral foot fungus, sleepiness (sleep apnea), low back condition, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes and tinnitus is not related to service. The appeal for psychiatric disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a back disability, and bilateral hand numbness due to unresolved development needs.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ear hearing loss disability and remanded the issues of service connection for neck and left ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination. The issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic sinusitis and rhinitis, COPD, and emphysema are being reviewed.

The Veteran's service connection claims for chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and tinea pedis and tinea cruris were granted. The Veteran's GERD was rated at a 10 percent disability rating.

The Board has found the most recent VA examination inadequate and remanded both claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent since August 1, 2012. From January 29, 2020, the Veteran is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, right ankle injury, right shoulder injury, and low back injury due to potential outstanding service treatment records. The psychiatric disability claim is also remanded for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's appeals for a higher rating and an earlier effective date for bilateral hearing loss have been dismissed. The claim for an initial rating higher than 30 percent for coronary artery disease has been denied, as the evidence does not meet the criteria for such a rating. The claim for an earlier effective date for coronary artery disease has also been denied due to lack of applicable law.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder, hypertensive vascular disease (hypertension), and heart disabilities are also granted as secondary to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided that service connection for tinnitus is granted, but the hearing loss case needs to be remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected. The Veteran's bilateral leg condition is remanded for further examination.

The Board has granted a TDIU and established basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance Benefits based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for hypertension and right ear hearing loss, as well as his appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, have been dismissed due to untimely filing of notices of disagreement.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is approximately evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are attributable to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychological disorder has been withdrawn and is therefore dismissed.,The Veteran's claim of entitlement to a disability evaluation in excess of 40 percent for bilateral hearing loss was denied, as the evidence did not meet the criteria for such a higher rating.