Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for Meniere's disease and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Veteran's GERD is being remanded for a VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected condition.,The Veteran's chronic sinusitis is being remanded due to the need for a supplemental medical opinion considering in-service exposures and ongoing symptoms.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is being remanded as there may be an issue with verifying exposure to herbicide agents during service. The AOJ should verify whether the USS Coral Sea was within the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea of Vietnam while the Veteran was aboard.,The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is being remanded for a supplemental medical opinion considering his asserted in-service exposure to herbicide agents.,The Veteran's skin disability is being remanded for a supplemental medical opinion addressing whether it is related to bare-skin exposure to jet fuel during service.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and a mood disorder) is being remanded as there may be issues with verifying in-service stressors. The AOJ should attempt to corroborate the Veteran's reported stressors involving witnessing the death of a fellow serviceman aboard the USS Coral Sea during the '1967 cruise'.,The Veteran's sleep apnea, hypertension, hiatal hernia, and erectile dysfunction are being remanded as secondary to his claimed acquired psychiatric disorder. The AOJ should attempt to obtain VA treatment records from Portland VAMC for the period between 1970 and 2002.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for updated VA audiological examination records, which may provide evidence of a worsening disorder.,The Veteran's ear infection disability is being remanded as there may be issues with obtaining relevant private treatment records. The AOJ should attempt to obtain these records and complete any necessary requests.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are presumed to have been incurred in service due to continuous symptoms since separation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination by an ENT specialist.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection, including prostate cancer with erectile dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, left and right knee disorders, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), lumbar spine disorder, and bilateral hearing loss. The effective dates for the grants of service connection are not addressed in this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, and the Board denied his claim for an increased rating.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to October 5, 2018 was denied. The Veteran's increased disability rating claim from October 5, 2018 onwards was also denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as non-compensably disabling, and the Board denied a higher rating.,The Veteran was granted service connection for residuals of bladder cancer with frequent urination, but his claim for an increased rating remains pending. The effective date for this grant has not been established yet.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is considered to be related to his in-service noise exposure, and service connection for this condition has been granted.

The Board has found the VA Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) opinion inadequate, and has ordered a new examination to determine if the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hearing loss has been withdrawn, and the issue is dismissed without prejudice. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for various disabilities are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral recurrent tinnitus, finding that the current conditions did not begin in service or are otherwise related to noise exposure during active duty.

The claim for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus has been granted. The issue of service connection for burns on the right side of the face, neck injury, and vertigo is being remanded.,Service connection for tinnitus has been granted. However, further examination is needed to determine if service connection can be established for a neck injury and vertigo.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate examination and need for additional medical opinion regarding the relationship between hearing loss and tinnitus and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as an initial rating for left ear hearing loss, were denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of right ear hearing loss or tinnitus, and his left ear hearing loss was rated at 10%.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 20 percent, and his tinnitus is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent. The Veteran's CAD has been granted a 30 percent rating effective May 31, 2011, and a 60 percent rating effective April 4, 2012. His diabetes mellitus, type II, is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 20 percent for each affected extremity. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathies are all rated at the maximum schedular ratings. Effective dates have been granted for various conditions and disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. However, the claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his hearing loss does not meet the criteria set forth in 38 C.F.R. § 3.385.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether it is related to in-service noise exposure.