Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected hearing disabilities have been rated at 10 percent since August 1974. The most recent VA examination in February 2018 showed no improvement and the Veteran continues to meet criteria for a 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board finds that he is entitled to TDIU.

Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.,Service connection for tinnitus, secondary to service-connected bilateral hearing loss, is also granted.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that the evidence supports a link to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's pre-existing right ear hearing loss was aggravated during service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on his audiometric test results.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a sleep disorder, bilateral hearing loss, low back disorder, left knee disability, and right knee disability have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have any of these conditions at the time of his claim or since.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephrolithiasis, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity are being remanded as there is no current diagnosis in the record.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetic nephrolithiasis is being remanded as there is no current diagnosis in the record.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity is being remanded as there is no current diagnosis in the record.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for erectile dysfunction associated with residuals of prostate adenocarcinoma is being remanded due to outstanding VA records from his wife and need for a VA examination.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of prostate adenocarcinoma, evaluated as 20 percent disabling is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent prior to March 13, 2012 and in excess of 20 percent thereafter for diabetes mellitus is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for peripheral neuropathy for the right upper extremity is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for peripheral neuropathy for the left upper extremity is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is being remanded as there are outstanding records from his wife and need for a VA examination.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for major depressive disorder associated with residuals of prostate adenocarcinoma is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and review of recent hospitalization records.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded as there are no current audiometric findings in the record.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension (high blood pressure) is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and consideration of his medication.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during service or were related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his hearing loss is only at Level I, which corresponds to a noncompensable disability rating.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the cases of hearing loss and skin disability for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the underlying claims are being remanded due to additional evidence and functional impairment issues.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are due to in-service acoustic trauma. Service connection was denied for perforated eardrum as there is no current disability.

The Board has granted the reopening of claims for service connection for tinnitus, deviated septum, barotrauma of the left ear, sinusitis, and left ear hearing loss. Service connection is also granted for fibromyalgia but denied for chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Board has decided that a new VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's current diagnosed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as whether these conditions are related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development and lack of evidence. The Veteran is asked to provide additional information about his theories of entitlement.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and denied service connection for BPPV. The Veteran's painful scars of the left thigh are rated at 20 percent, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased rating of PTSD, service connection for erectile dysfunction, and service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of updated medical records and need for further examinations.

The Board has not found a current diagnosis of right ear hearing loss, and the Veteran's claim for service connection is denied. The left ear hearing loss claim is remanded due to inadequate opinion in the VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current tinnitus is related to his military service. However, it denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence linking the condition to service.