Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral foot disorder is not reopened due to lack of material evidence. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety and depression, secondary to service-connected bilateral hearing loss is granted. Service connection for hypertension is denied. The effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is set at March 30, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating for various conditions, including low back disorder, bilateral foot disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral knee disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder (depression), and bilateral hearing loss. Additional evidence is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service or events therein.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not shown to be related to his military service.,His left shoulder, right shoulder, low back, multiple joint pain, and eye disorder (claimed as lack of depth perception) conditions are also not shown to be related to his military service.

The appeal for service connection for bipolar disorder claimed as memory loss is dismissed. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, cataracts of both eyes, obstructive sleep apnea with CPAP (claimed as sleep apnea), arthritis of knees, bilateral, arthritis of shoulders, bilateral, DDD at C4-5, C5-6, and C6-7, spondylosis with foraminal impingement at C5-6 and C6-7, claimed as arthritis of the neck, right shoulder tendonitis, tendonitis of both wrists, and spurs in fingers of both hands is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and chronic thoracolumbar strain as they require further examination to determine their etiology.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus due to outstanding records not being associated with the VBMS and Virtual VA/Legacy files. The appellant served in the Coast Guard Reserve from 1974 to 1978, but his records are missing. Additionally, Delta Airlines' 1978 hearing test record is needed.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at zero percent and noncompensable, effective from September 27, 2007.,The Veteran’s shell fragment wound of the left leg and knee with moderate instability of the knee, mild internal derangement, and mild muscle injury, muscle group XII, is currently classified as moderate and rated at 10 percent, effective from May 1, 1993. The Board determined that his condition more closely approximates a moderate muscle disability.,The Veteran's hepatitis C is rated at 10 percent, effective from November 20, 2002. The medical evidence shows intermittent fatigue, malaise, and anorexia without weight loss or hepatomegaly.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and remanded the case for further examination regarding tinnitus.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical evidence and to provide the Veteran with an appropriate VA examination regarding his claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issues of entitlement to an increased rating for tension headaches prior to October 5, 2015.

The Veteran's appeal of the initial disability ratings for tinnitus, PTSD with major depressive disorder prior to March 7, 2016, lumbar arthritis, left lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, and left ear hearing loss has been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal for tinnitus. The remaining issues are being remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination due to concerns about the adequacy of previous VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus on an accrued benefits or substitution basis due to a failure of the AOJ to ascertain whether the appellant desires to pursue these claims on either a substitute or accrued benefits basis. The appellant is given another opportunity to provide additional information and/or evidence pertinent to the claims, including notification about missing service treatment records.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected, with the conditions believed to have occurred during his first period of active service.

The Board has remanded several issues including service connection claims for various disabilities, as well as a TDIU claim and an earlier effective date claim for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease. The appellant is required to provide updated VA treatment records and identify any outstanding private treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for automobile and adaptive equipment, as well as specially adapted housing or special home adaptation are being remanded due to the need for more recent VA examinations to assess his current disability levels.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss and its relationship to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied, while his claim for tinnitus is granted. The issue of service connection for a hematological condition (including anemia, neutropenia, and history of sickle cell trait) has been remanded.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is remanded due to the need for a VA examination. The examiner will assess whether the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus are granted. The claim for an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss is remanded.