Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has found that a remand is necessary due to the Veteran's assertion of worsening hearing loss. The case will be returned for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining any outstanding medical records.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus has been reopened, but the Board finds that further development is needed before a decision can be made.

The appeal for hearing loss was dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal. The appeals for thoracolumbar spine disability and hepatitis C are being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for onychomycosis was denied as the condition did not require treatment and covered less than 5% of his body. The Board also remanded issues regarding service connection for left ear hearing loss and entitlement to a compensable disability rating for right ear hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty about the Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA. The claim will be reconsidered with this information.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD was granted with an initial evaluation of 50 percent, effective September 24, 2007. The appeal regarding the heart condition and sleep disorder is denied. The Veteran's hearing loss prior to August 24, 2015, warrants a 20 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete examination findings. The Veteran is required to provide additional medical records, including from February 2016 to present, and a VA audiology examination will be conducted.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his military service due to lack of in-service noise exposure and a long delay between service and onset of symptoms.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of right ear hearing loss, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus. However, it was determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus for VA purposes, thus denying both claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.

The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent prior to March 2, 2017, and in excess of 40 percent thereafter for degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine. The evidence did not establish a nexus between current hearing loss or DJD of the lumbar spine and service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.