Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and undifferentiated somatoform disorder, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to the need for an audiological evaluation and opinion regarding the Veteran's hearing loss disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for testicular cancer and an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss. The decision found no evidence linking the cancers to service, including exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, and that the Veteran did not have a disability during service or within one year of separation. For his hearing loss, the Board noted that he was already receiving a 50% rating, which is considered a partial grant.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his active duty service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to address the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty regarding whether the Veteran's hearing loss was caused by in-service acoustic trauma. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on this matter.

The Board has denied service connection for lower back injury, bilateral hearing loss, and right knee DJD. The claims are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected, but has found in favor of granting service connection for tinnitus. The right knee disability is remanded for further examination to determine if it is related to his service-connected pes planus.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for high blood pressure has been remanded due to incomplete STRs and the need for private treatment records.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin condition, including cellulitis, boils and blisters, has been remanded due to inaccurate factual premises in the July 2015 VA examination and the need for an opinion on whether his skin condition is secondary to diabetes mellitus.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression, has been remanded due to the July 2015 examiner's failure to consider the Veteran's contentions regarding combat-related nightmares and delayed treatment.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is proximately due to a service-connected disability (a post-operative left ankle injury).

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current bilateral tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure. Service connection was denied for hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was initially rated as noncompensable prior to June 16, 2017. From June 16, 2017, the rating for his bilateral hearing loss was increased to 20 percent.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as these conditions were not shown to be related to service, including noise exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is restored to a 50 percent evaluation effective January 1, 2018. The appeal for increased evaluations in excess of the staged 10 and 30 percent evaluations are dismissed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to a lack of current diagnoses. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was denied, and the case is remanded.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for status post laminectomy, lumbosacral spine and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity associated with status post laminectomy, lumbosacral spine are remanded.,The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case for an additional VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran is responsible for reporting for this examination.

The Veteran's appeal for restoration of a 40 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss disability is granted, effective June 1, 2017. The appeal for an increased rating in excess of 40 percent for the same condition is denied.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and medical opinions are inadequate for deciding these issues, as they did not consider the Veteran's MOS of Auto Mechanic and his reports of ringing in his ears during service. The case is being remanded to obtain an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding whether the Veteran’s currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus at least as likely as not began during active service, manifested within one year after discharge from service, or were noted during service with continuity of the same symptomatology since service.