Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD. The claim for service connection for depressive disorder is remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and remanded the claims for higher ratings for headaches, epididymitis, and bilateral hearing loss. Additional development is needed to determine if there is a relationship between any current mental health disability and service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease due to herbicide exposure has been reopened, with the evidence showing a current diagnosis of ischemic heart disease. The Board finds that this condition is at least as likely as not related to service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted based on evidence suggesting noise exposure in service and continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his claims.,Obstructive sleep apnea has been granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for various conditions, including joint pain, bilateral hearing loss, right foot disability, tinnitus, obstructive sleep apnea, GERD, plantar fasciitis of the left heel, headache, and acquired psychiatric disability. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has granted service connection for skin neoplasms, but denied service connection for left ear hearing loss disability. The Veteran's skin conditions are presumed to be related to his exposure to herbicide agents during service. However, the Veteran does not have a current left ear hearing loss disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new evidence submitted. The issues of service connection for memory loss, sleep problems, night sweats (Gulf War syndrome), and headaches are also remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the hearing loss and tinnitus claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus in February 2014. The new evidence received since then does not provide a link between these conditions and active service, so the claims are still denied.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and denied the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for diabetes mellitus type II, as well as his claims for obstructive sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, bladder condition, and psychiatric disorder. The appeals are remanded for further development on these issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes, and his hypertension is rated as noncompensable. The Veteran's PTSD, patellofemoral pain syndrome of the knees, and tinnitus are all currently rated appropriately. The appeal is remanded for further development on issues related to service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected due to exposure to acoustic trauma during active duty, with continuous symptoms since service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has increased in severity since his last VA examination, and a new VA examination is needed to determine the current level of disability.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of recent VA treatment records, and because a new examination is needed to determine if current hearing loss disabilities are related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to uncertainty about whether a Maryland CNC test was used for speech recognition in the July 2016 audiological examination. The Veteran is asked to provide authorization to obtain this information and the RO will determine if further medical development is needed.

The Veteran's claim for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss is granted, with the case being remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including left and right hand disabilities, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, as the evidence did not establish a relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disorder (secondary to posttraumatic arthritis of the right knee), hypertension, cepahlgia, cervicothoracic spine disorder, thoracic spine disorder (low back condition), bilateral hip condition, and left sciatic radicular pain have been denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for these conditions are being remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, irritable bowel syndrome, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease/Barrett’s Syndrome, and back condition are granted as service-connected due to in-service combat noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus the TDIU is granted.

An initial compensable rating for chronic sinusitis and left ear hearing loss has been denied.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss has also been denied.