Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and authorization for non-VA healthcare providers' records.

The Board has awarded service connection for tinnitus due to in-service noise exposure, but the claims for bilateral hearing loss and low back disability are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, with the most recent audiometric evaluations showing no significant improvement in hearing acuity.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his military service or a service-connected condition.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right knee arthritis, and left knee arthritis as there is no evidence of a nexus between the conditions and active duty service.,The Veteran's STRs did not show any complaints or treatment related to these conditions. The VA examiners provided negative nexus opinions.

The Veteran's tinnitus has been granted service connection. The Board finds the Veteran's claims for other disabilities are not supported by competent and credible evidence, necessitating further development.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether it was incurred during active military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss as there is no current diagnosis of a disability for VA purposes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate examination in the July 2018 VA examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions were incurred during active duty.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and remanded the issue of an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for thrombosis/TIA/cerebral infarction. The case is being returned to VA for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is likely due to noise exposure during service, and thus grants service connection on a direct basis.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Veteran's service-connected hemorrhoids are granted an increased rating of 10 percent, but no higher. The matter of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability remains remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate VA examination and missing records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability have been granted. The Board found that the evidence was at least in equipoise regarding the question of whether the Veteran's current disabilities are etiologically related to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, degenerative lumbar spondylosis, rheumatoid arthritis of the bilateral lower extremities (rhabdomyosarcoma is not a condition, but radiculopathy is attributed to it), diabetes mellitus type II, psoriasis, and hypertensive heart disease have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from February 9, 2016.,The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, degenerative lumbar spondylosis, rheumatoid arthritis of the bilateral lower extremities (rhabdomyosarcoma is not a condition, but radiculopathy is attributed to it), diabetes mellitus type II, psoriasis, and hypertensive heart disease have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to February 9, 2016.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are etiologically related to the Veteran's period of active service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board found no evidence to warrant a higher rating based on his complaints of difficulty hearing in distracting environments.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records and a need for additional medical opinions regarding the cause of death.