Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and he is granted a TDIU. The Board finds that additional development is necessary to determine if the Veteran meets criteria for SMC based on need for aid and attendance or housebound status.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions due to a lack of VA treatment records and SSA disability benefits records. The Veteran is also requested to provide any additional pertinent evidence.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that his current hearing loss is at least as likely as not due to military noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is related to his in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus and right ear hearing loss were granted with an effective date of February 23, 1971.,The claim for left ear hearing loss was denied in June 1971 but reopened due to new evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to missing service treatment records. The Veteran is required to provide information about any healthcare providers who have treated him for these conditions, and VA must obtain any outstanding medical records.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claim for prostate cancer. The decision on prostate cancer is pending further development.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral shoulder disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision also noted that the Veteran's left knee disability was granted with a higher rating.

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 his military service due to noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is attributable to his active service and grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for generalized arthritis and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss on an extraschedular basis, finding that the evidence did not support these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as there is no current diagnosed disability, and thus the appeal is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a new VA examination to assess his back disability and scheduling of a DRO hearing. The remaining issues are still pending.

The Board denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, right shoulder disorder, right ankle disorder, and low back disorder. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and shortness of breath were also denied.

The Board has determined that the issue of TDIU is moot for the period beginning February 16, 2016. The case is remanded to obtain an adequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment prior to February 16, 2016.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran's pre-existing bilateral hearing loss was aggravated by his service, specifically his work with gas turbine generators. The Veteran will need a new VA examination and opinion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The reduction of the rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss from 10 percent to noncompensable, effective November 1, 2012, was proper. The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for her hearing loss prior to June 1, 2015, is denied. A 10 percent rating is granted for bilateral hearing loss from June 1, 2015.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU rating, but his representative argues that they have worsened since he was last examined by VA. The Board finds that contemporaneous examinations are necessary to assess the current severity of his disabilities and their impact on employment.

The Veteran's appeals for initial compensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss and increased rating for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity have been dismissed. The appeal for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for mood disorder is denied, but a TDIU is granted.