Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The claim is now pending for further development and an addendum VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's application to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted. The claims for service connection for myositis, cervical strain (neck disability), spinal stenosis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, sinusitis, COPD, edema, GERD, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and nerve disability, an acquired psychiatric disability, and bronchitis have all been denied.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss has worsened, and he must be re-evaluated to determine the current severity of his condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and material evidence having been submitted, as well as for additional VA examinations. The Veteran's back disability, bilateral lower extremity neurological impairment, psychiatric disability (depression and anxiety), and right ear hearing loss disability are all being reviewed.

The Veteran's most recent VA examination for his service-connected hearing loss was conducted in April 2016. The Board has decided to remand the claim due to a lack of contemporaneous audiological test results, and thus requires a new examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability and that any hearing loss is not related to military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, and the Board found that a higher rating is not warranted based on his current symptoms.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The case is being remanded to allow for further examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's hearing loss and headaches were not found to be service-connected. The rating for PTSD was denied, but a higher rating of 50% was granted from November 15, 2010 to September 8, 2011.

The Veteran's appeals for hearing loss and tinnitus have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral eye condition and left ear hearing loss has been reopened. The claim of service connection for left ear hearing loss is granted, as it was found to be related to active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction, and coronary artery disease was granted. His rating for coronary artery disease was restored to 60 percent.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II as secondary to herbicide exposure is remanded. The claims for initial compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss and asbestosis are also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, diabetic retinopathy, diabetes mellitus type 2, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and tinnitus, rendered him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment from January 5, 2011, to May 2, 2018.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as the VA examiner's opinions were inadequate. The new examination must address whether the Veteran's conditions are related to service, specifically noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied in an August 2004 rating decision. The claim for right shoulder arthritis was reopened, but the issue remains remanded due to a lack of VA employee treatment records from 1983-1984.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a right foot disability, diagnosed as degenerative joint disease of the first metatarsophalangeal joint of the right foot with plantar fasciitis, is granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection of left ear hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied as his disability already meets the maximum schedular rating under Diagnostic Code 6260.,The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for unspecified adjustment disorder and dysthymia with alcohol abuse disorder is granted, but only to the extent that it does not exceed the current 50 percent rating.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and remanded the issue of a compensable evaluation for right ear hearing loss.

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

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of aggravation during service and that the preexisting condition did not worsen.