Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and valvular heart disease manifested by a heart murmur due to insufficient opinions in previous examinations. The Veteran must be provided with new examinations to address the evidence submitted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from performing the physical and mental acts required for employment prior to March 18, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were granted, but the ratings assigned are 0% (no disability compensation). The effective date is not specified.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus due to lack of a current diagnosis. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence, specifically the lack of a VA examination since the Veteran's service treatment records were added to his file.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no link between his current hearing loss and service. The evidence did not establish a chronic disability in service or within one year after service, and the Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss is less likely than not related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has decided that the reduction of the evaluation for hearing loss from 10 percent to zero percent effective March 1, 2015, was improper and has remanded the case for further review.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, and the Board denied a higher rating based on the objective evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for a low back disability, right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep disability, headaches, an increased rating for a right ankle disability, and an earlier effective date for PTSD. The RO is instructed to issue supplemental statements of the case on these issues.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for right knee disability, higher initial ratings for tinnitus and irritable bowel syndrome, and earlier effective dates for service connection of these conditions. The issues related to left knee iliotibial band syndrome, hearing loss, and sleep apnea are still pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathies due to herbicide exposure, and PTSD. Additional development is needed, including obtaining updated medical records, verifying Vietnam-era service, and conducting examinations by appropriate clinicians.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claims for service connection for PTSD, hearing loss (left ear), and headaches were granted. The claim for service connection for PTSD was denied due to lack of a diagnosis conforming to DSM-5 criteria. The claim for service connection for hearing loss (left ear) was denied as there is no current disability. The claim for service connection for headaches was granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete information and procedural errors, including a lack of proper authorization for treatment at Promise Hospital. The VA will need to obtain additional records from Leesburg Hospital regarding transfer attempts and any relevant VA records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Board has decided that the duty to assist was not satisfied in the March 2018 decision, and thus remanded for obtaining audiometric testing results from the Veteran's September 2009 and May 2016 VA hearing examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss of the right ear has been reopened and granted. The claim for service connection for hearing loss of the left ear remains denied.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for a higher initial rating for lumbar spine disability. The service connection claims for TBI residuals, right ear sensorineural hearing loss, and left ear sensorineural hearing loss have been denied. The claim for PTSD is remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to his in-service exposure to hazardous noise levels.