Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to in-service acoustic trauma, meeting the requirements for service connection under a direct theory.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to his request for a local hearing with a San Juan Regional Office Decision Review Officer (DRO). The case will be returned to the AOJ after scheduling the requested hearing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss disability and tinnitus are not related to service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is not incurred in or aggravated by his service-connected epididymitis, and thus denied the claim for service connection. The right ear hearing loss issue remains pending as further development is required.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating prior to December 7, 2006, and in excess of 10 percent from December 7, 2006 to October 13, 2017, and in excess of 40 percent from October 14, 2017 for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss and a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his VA audiological examination records.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a bilateral hearing loss disability has been dismissed as moot due to the grant of such benefit in February 2018. The claims for right fourth finger, bilateral hand, and left knee disabilities have not met the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD, an earlier effective date for prostate cancer service connection, and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his medical records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, migraine headaches, and degenerative joint disease (DDD) of the cervical spine have all been granted. The claim for sleep apnea has also been granted.,Service connection is established for these conditions based on direct evidence.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's sensorineural bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as the current opinions are insufficient.

The Board has granted service connection for right hip disability, hearing loss, and tinnitus with an effective date of December 3, 2009. The Veteran's claims for other disabilities are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, hyposmia as a residual of oral surgery, and headache condition. Service connection is also granted for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), eczema of the bilateral lower extremities, and residuals of oral surgery. The Veteran's current diagnoses are found to be related to his service in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than August 18, 2004, for the grants of service connection for lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with the lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, and bilateral hearing loss have been denied as there is no evidence that he filed a timely substantive appeal with the October 1968 rating decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for scars on the retina, dermatitis of the groin, and bilateral hearing loss. The decision also granted an initial noncompensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are etiologically related to service, including his noise exposure during active duty.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his right ear hearing loss and the need for a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for heart disease, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision found that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service, which precluded presumptive service connection. For heart disease, the claim was denied as there was no in-service onset or continuity of symptoms after discharge. For bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, the Board noted that while the Veteran reported noise exposure, there is insufficient medical evidence to establish a nexus between his current conditions and service.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for service connection for a back disability, an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, and an increased rating for right shoulder osteoarthritis. The issue of entitlement to TDIU prior to June 13, 2011 remains on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are a result of his VA-administered pegylated interferon and ribavirin treatment for hepatitis C.,VA medical records indicate that the Veteran experienced sudden onset of these conditions during his treatment, which was not foreseen by reasonable healthcare providers.