Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service noise exposure, and thus service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for low back disability, left knee disability, hearing loss, and sleep problems due to lack of a medical nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in the previous opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The examiner is requested to provide a more detailed opinion on whether the current hearing loss is related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The case is remanded to obtain an opinion on the etiology of sleep apnea, which may be secondary to hypertension.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure. However, service connection for hemorrhoids was denied due to a lack of current disability.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is denied, but he received higher initial ratings of 20 percent for his right and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim to reopen his previously denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability. However, it has denied both the service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,Service connection for anxiety disorder, secondary to TBI, is also denied. The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s anxiety was not related to his service-connected TBI.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied, and his PTSD is rated at 70 percent. The issue of TDIU is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU is remanded due to the need for further examination. The claims are inextricably intertwined.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need for a new medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back, left knee, right knee, right ankle, and bilateral hearing loss disabilities due to incomplete examination reports and conflicting findings.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not meet the legal definition of a 'veteran' for VA compensation purposes due to lack of active service, and therefore, his claims for service connection are denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and TDIU due to PTSD. The earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence that the conditions were related to active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his request for an increased evaluation of PTSD and entitlement to TDIU, have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of current hearing loss or tinnitus disabilities during the appeal period, and that the Veteran’s PTSD does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's cause of death was not related to his time in service or to Agent Orange exposure. Service connection for the cause of death is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions regarding his psychiatric disability, hearing loss, and service connection.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA and private medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU rating. The remaining claims for increased ratings are remanded.