Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, neck disability, low back pain, bilateral knee disabilities, cephalgia, hand tremors, restless leg syndrome, and respiratory insufficiency are being remanded due to insufficient evidence. The claim for acquired psychological disability is also being 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 noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability, and the Board finds that his hearing was normal at separation from service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied due to lack of corroborated in-service stressor. The hearing loss disability received a 20 percent rating from December 20, 2011 to July 23, 2017 and a 10 percent rating since July 24, 2017.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to new evidence received after May 2018. The SSOC will address these matters.

The Veteran's PTSD, coronary artery disease, and diabetes mellitus were all granted service connection. However, the Veteran was denied increased ratings for his PTSD, coronary artery disease, and diabetes mellitus. The aortic aneurysm, hearing loss, tinnitus, and cataracts issues are still pending.

The Veteran's initial compensable evaluations for bilateral hearing loss and a right elbow scar are denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increase in ratings beyond noncompensable levels.

The Veteran's residuals of a fracture of the distal end of the right second metacarpal are rated as noncompensably disabling prior to May 15, 2017, and 10 percent disabling thereafter.,For his right ear hearing loss, the current evaluation is noncompensable. The Veteran contends that a compensable rating is warranted due to more severe symptoms than represented by the current evaluation.,The Veteran's hemorrhoids are rated as noncompensably disabling prior to March 16, 2005; 10 percent disabling from March 16, 2005, to May 14, 2017; and 20 percent disabling beginning May 15, 2017.,The Veteran's hiatal hernia is rated as 60 percent disabling.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus is remanded.,Service connection for an eye disability secondary to diabetes mellitus is remanded.,Service connection for a neurological disability secondary to diabetes mellitus is remanded.,Service connection for TDIU resulting from service-connected disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for glaucoma and bilateral hearing loss disability due to additional development of the record.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claims of service connection for an implanted cardiac pacemaker, initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, and initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for nephrolithiasis. Additionally, the TDIU claim from March 11, 2016 is also remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability and hearing loss, as new and material evidence was received. However, both conditions were denied due to lack of causal relationship with service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted, and she meets the schedular requirements for assignment of a TDIU.,Her initial rating for tinnitus remains at 10 percent as there is no basis in the law for awarding a higher evaluation.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there is insufficient evidence to determine if these conditions are related to service. The Veteran worked in a noisy environment during her military service.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased initial evaluation for service-connected bilateral tinnitus is denied.,All other issues are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions did not begin during or as a result of his military service. The appeal regarding neuropathy is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss has been denied, and the effective date for service connection of bilateral hearing loss has also been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating or earlier effective date.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there was no evidence of a nexus between the disabilities and service, including noise exposure.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted. For the period prior to March 3, 2015, an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss disability is denied.,For the period since March 3, 2015, a higher initial rating than 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss disability is denied.